Burning Fire
by Nishu96
Summary: "I promise I ll come back after my work is done and when I come back I ll be strong enough to protect you just as you protected me all this time!" [Kabuto x OC] R&R!
1. Introduction

**[ A/N: Hey guys! Well this is a new Story of mine and this one is going to be pretty Romantic. ;)) There will be a lot of OC´s but the most of them will show up when the Story progresses so that it won´t be confusing. Also the Story will follow partly the Original Storyline but you´ll see that when you read it. :)) You may will also recognize that I was inspired by some other Animes like Fairy Tail, One Piece and some others with the plot. Now I´ll introduce some of my characters you should know and with the next Chapter the Story will begin. So enjoy reading!]  
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Sakuya Higurashi is an eight years old girl with short blonde hair and light brown eyes. She´s an orphan and was found at the age of 5 by a young women called Haruhi. After a short while she saw the young great hearted women as her Sister and the loud and annoying Ame as her Brother. Three years later they found another orphan boy called Souji who was at first very cold towards everybody but then started to accept them as his new family. Sakuya herself is a kind girl with a hot temper but all in all she´s a very polite person even if she´s bossy sometimes as well. She often has conflicts with Ame because he´s provocing her but still likes him a lot and she admires his strenght.

Haruhi Kurokawa is a 30 years old women with brown hair and grey eyes. She was once a Ninja in Konoha until she decided that this wasn´t the life she dreamed of and then went into a little house near the woods. Now she´s making Medicine for Konoha and also for the Orphanage that lies near. She´s also taking care of the three orphan kids Sakuya, Ame and Souji.

Ame is a 11 years old orphan boy who was found by Haruhi. He has black hair and dark eyes. One of his bad traits is that he always has to provoce people and is often called a shittalker by Sakuya. Sometimes people could think he is somekind of arrogant but he is a very caring boy who loves his siblings and would do everything to protect them.

Souji is 6 years old and has blue hair with brown eyes. In the past he was the slave of a rich man but managed to escape and was then found by Haruhi. Since he never really knew what family and love are he was acting cold towards everybody until Sakuya reached him somehow. After that he was finally able to accept them as his family. He is a very shy boy and doesn´t talk that much.


	2. Family Life

Sakuya´s P.O.V

"Come on Sleepyhead wake up…"

I felt how my Sister lightly shaked me to wake me up.

"Owww why? I´m so tired…"

"But you and Souji have to go to the town to buy some food did you forget that already?"

My head shaked lightly as I slowly sat up and looked in the face of my beautiful Sister. Her bright smile gave everyone a good feeling so it wasn´t that bad to be waked up like that.

"Is Souji ready to go?"

"Yes he´s waiting for you and he seems to be excited. It´s the first time since we found him that he´s going to the Town…"

"Alright…"

_Yea right Souji is staying with us now since 2 months and he hasn´t seen the town yet…_

Souji was an orphan boy Haruhi found near the woods and he was a small boy with blue hair and brown eyes. I always wondered about his unusual haircolor but I didn´t want to bother him with questions like that. He didn´t like to talk about his past but I understood him since I didn´t like it as well. _I hope he´ll like it in the Town…_

~ a few hours later ~

We were walking through the town and I could see that Souji had to be pretty nervous.

"Is something wrong?"

"N- No it´s just so crowded in here…."

"I see…"

I grabbed his hand and he became a bit more relived. He was a very shy boy who wasn´t that social. His hand was a bit sweaty and he lightly shaked.

"Do you want some Ice?"

I smiled and he nooded. After we were done we walked through the woods to get back home.

"Say Sister can we do this more often now?"

"You liked it?"

"Yes…"

"Well then of course!"

Suddenly I heard a noise and stopped walking. _What was that?_

"Did you hear that?"

"What?"

"It sounded like somebody was screaming or something…"

Souji looked a bit afraid and grabbed my arm.

"Then let´s hurry back home."

"No I´ll look if something happened and you´ll wait here for me alright?"

He nooded but I saw the fear in his eyes. I ran into the direction of the noise and hoped that it was just my imagination.

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**[ A/N: So that was the first Chapter even though it was pretty short. The next Chapters will definitelly be longer and they´ll have more content! I´ll try to Update as soon as I can and well enjoy reading everybody! :DD]**


	3. Thank you

Sakuya´s P.O.V

I reached the point where the person was screaming and hide behind a tree. Then I saw a tall men who threatened a young boy with grey hair and glasses.

"P- Please I really don´t have anything."

The boy was scared and the men grabbed him on his collar and pressed him against a tree.

"I don´t believe you!"

Then I saw that he drew a Kunai and was holding it on the boys throat.

"No I beg you don´t kill me!"

"Then give me everything you have brat!"

_Oh no what should I do? I have to help him but how?_

I looked on the ground and picked up a stone. I threw it on the head of the men and he turned around.

"Who was that?"

He didn´t seem to see me so I threw another one. Then he was letting go of the boy and looked around. _Alright I have to show up and deflect him so that this boy can escape!_

"Hey I guess you´re looking for me!"

I stepped out of my hiding place and threw another stone at him. The man seemed to be angry while the boy looked like he was nearly crying.

"Dumb brat what do you think you´re doing huh?"

I didn´t give him an answer and ran to him trying to push him to the ground but I was too weak. He grabbed me and I was biting in his arm.

"Ahhh are you crazy?! Let go!"

Blood was flowing out of his wound but I didn´t let go. He then slung me against a tree. _Ouch!_

After that he walked to the boy again.

"So will you give me your money now or shall I kill this girl as well?"

The boy shaked his head and looked for something in his pocket. Then he gave him the money he took out and the men grinned bad.

"What a good boy."

He walked away and I stood up to help the boy getting up again.

"Hey are you okay?"

I streched out my hand to help him but he just looked to the side.

"Is something wrong?"

"No… Thank you for your help but I´m fine now…"

Then I saw how tears were rolling down his face.

"I really just want to help you…"

"Leave me alone."

I couldn´t really understand why he didn´t accept my help. _Maybe he´s too proud to accept the help of a girl?_

"If you would tell me what bothers you I could maybe help you…"

"Oh really? Alright then give me enough money to buy food for a whole orphanage. Do you think you can do that?"

"No I´m not rich I guess I can´t…"

"So now you see that you can´t help me and now get lost."

I thought about something and had a good idea. _Maybe I can´t give him that much but at least I can give him some vegetables from our garden at home!_

I grabbed his hand, made him stand up and dragged him with me.

"H- Hey let go of me! Where are we going?"

"I´ll give you some food for your orphanage."

He tried to resist but I was stronger than him. We finally reached the place where Souji was waiting for me and he seemed to be surprised.

"Who is that Sister?"

He looked up to the boy with wide eyes.

"Uhm I don´t really know who he is but he needs our help."

"I didn´t ask for your help…"

I ignored him and grabbed some bags with the food in it. Then we walked to our little house where Ame and Haruhi were sitting outside and they also were surprised about the boy on my hand.

"Hey Sakuya who´s that?"

Ame ran to us and his black hair sparkeled in the sun. He was also an orphan boy who was found by our Sister Haruhi.

"That´s uhm … What is your name?"

I looked at the boy and he sighed.

"My name is Kabuto…"

He said as he looked still straight to the ground.

"Yes and Kabuto was attacked by a robber who stole money that was for buying food for his orphanage and I thought we could give him something. Can we Sister?"

She looked at Kabuto who finally looked up to her and she smiled.

"Well I guess we can do that. Say is your orphanage the one where Nonou is working?"

Kabuto seemed surprised and nooded.

"You know her?"

"Yes we´re friends and I often bring her some medicine for the Orphanage."

"I see…"

He finally had a light smile on his face and I had to smile as well.

"Alright then I´ll pack some food for you."

She walked into the house and Ame examined Kabuto.

"You seem to be pretty small and weak… Don´t you make any training?"

"Huh?"

Kabuto was confused and Ame suddenly grabbed his arm and started touching it.

"Yea you really are a little weakling but if I´m honest what else should a boy with glasses on be…"

"Stop talking shit Ame! Not everybody is as strong as you and don´t forget you´re older as well…"

Ame sometimes was such a shit talker and I didn´t like it when he was mean to foreign people.

"Hm you don´t know how old he is…"

"He doesn´t look as old as you Idiot!"

"How old are you Nerd?"

"First of all my name is Kabuto and I´m 8 years old now."

"Look Ame he is as old as me!"

I streched my tongue out. After a while Haruhi came back with some bags and put them to the ground.

"So I hope this is enough…"

"Yes it´s more than enough thank you very much!"

Kabuto smiled and Haruhi seemed to be happy.

"I´ll accompany him and help him with the bags, okay?"

"Alright but be back before the sun is setting."

"Sure."

I grabbed some bags and Kabuto said goodbye to the others. Then we walked for a while without saying a word until he interrupted the silence.

"Are those guys really your brothers and your sister?"

"Yes they are… We are not blood related but I love them like we are."

"I see…"

"And what about you? Are you an orphan as well?"

"Yes…"

"Are the others in the orphanage your family?"

"Hm yes I think you could say so."

"That´s nice. As long as you´re not alone everything is good or that´s at least what I used to think."

"Seems legit…"

He lightly giggled and I smiled. Then we reached the orphanage and a blonde women with green eyes walked to us.

"Kabuto where have you been so long? I was worried about you…"

"I´m sorry Mother…"

"And who is that little Lady beside you?"

She smiled at me and I introduced myself.

"I´m Sakuya and I just helped Kabuto to carry those heavy bags over here."

"That was very nice from you. Hmm say do I know you from somewhere?"

"Well it could be that you saw me when you visited my Sister Haruhi…"

"Oh right you are one of her children! How is she doing?"

"She´s fine and told me to say some greetings when I met you Nonou-san."

"Tell her some greetings back and that I´ll visit her as soon as I have some time."

"Sure I´ll do that. I have to go now so Goodbye!"

"Wait!"

Kabuto grabbed my arm.

"I´m sorry that I was so unpolite before and thank you for your help!"

"No problem and be careful the next time you go alone through the woods alright?"

I winked and he smiled and nooded.

"Sure…"

"Okay Goodbye Kabuto I hope we see each other again!"

"Yes I hope so too."

I walked away and thought that he really was a nice boy.


	4. Training

Sakuya´s P.O.V

~ a few days later ~

My brothers and I were on a River where Ame tried to teach me one of his Fire Release Techniques. Today he wanted to show me how to spit fire but it didn´t really work as it should.

"That was ridiculous! Do you want to light up a candle with that bit of fire that comes out of your mouth?"

I was breathing hard because it was pretty hard and we were doing this now since two hours or something like that.

"Sorry but I can´t help it…"

"Yes you can! Stop being an idiot and exert yourself a bit more!"

_Damn but how should I do that?_

I made handsigns and tried it again but still the same just a little bit came out of my mouth. Ame sighed and shaked his head.

"I really don´t know what´s your problem this Jutsu is pretty easy. Maybe you´re just too untalented to use it…"

"Oh shut up…"

I glanced angry at him but deep inside I thought that he maybe was right. _Am I just untalented and not able to use it?_

"H- Hello guys!"

I turned around and saw Kabuto walking to us.

"Hey Kabuto! What are you doing here?"

I waved at him and smiled.

"Well I wanted to visit you and your Sister told me that I could find you here…"

"I see well we´re training at the moment."

"Not like you could call that training what you do…"

Ame looked scornful down on me and I became lightly angry.

"It is training! I´m still learning you Idiot!"

"You´re not learning very fast that´s a fact! I´ll show you what it should look like!"

He made handsigns and spit out a whole bunch of fire.

"So and now show him how yours looks like."

I blushed and looked at Kabuto who seemed to wait for me to start. _How embarassing…_

I made handsigns and spit out the same little bit of fire as before and Ame snorted.

"You know I don´t think it was that bad…"

Kabuto smiled at me and I was surprised.

"What? Are you blind or something? That was shameful!"

"But at least it seems like she will be able to do it one day and you said she´s still training so where is the problem?"

Ame didn´t know what to say anymore and I was glad that finally somebody was on my side.

"Well I guess that was enough training for today anyways so let´s stop for now. Souji do you want to play a little bit in the water?"

"Sure why not…"

The two of them went into the water and Kabuto and I sat down on the gras.

"Why don´t you go with them?"

"I don´t like swimming that much and you?"

"If I´m honest I can´t swim…"

It was a bit embarassing but it wasn´t my fault that I couldn´t. I was just not made for swimming I guess.

"I see…"

The day became pretty nice and hanging out with Kabuto was more fun then I thought. He was smart and funny so it didn´t become boring at all. I was sad when the day came to an end and he had to go.

"When will you come and visit us again?"

"Maybe tomorrow but I´m not sure since there´s always something to do in the orphanage."

"Okay then see you!"

"Yes Goodbye!"

He walked away and I looked after him until I couldn´t see him. _Yes I guess we will become good friends…_


	5. The Egg

Kabuto´s P.O.V

~ a few weeks later ~

I was walking into the direction of the house were Sakuya and her family lived because I wanted to visit them again. We were hanging out a few times now and I really liked all of them but I had to say that I liked Sakuya a bit more then her brothers. I didn´t really know why but that girl impressed me somehow. Her braveness, her kindness and even her short temper I liked everything about her.

When I reached the house I knocked on the door and Haruhi opened it.

"Oh Kabuto what a pleasure to see you! Do you want to play with the others again?"

"Uhm yes that would be great."

"Well but Sakuya isn´t there at the moment just Souji and Ame."

"Really? Where is she?"

"I don´t really know she´s acting suspeciouse since a few days now and I don´t really know why. She doesn´t tell anybody where she´s going and forbid her brothers to follow her."

"Hmm do you think I could look for her?"

"Sure if you want to but don´t be dissapointed if she tells you to go away okay?"

"Yes sure no problem…"

_I really wonder what she´s doing when even Ame and Souji don´t know about it…_

I walked for a while through the woods until I reached a little cave where I heard some noise coming out. I carefully walked in there and saw Sakuya sitting there with something big infront of her.

"Uhm Sakuya?"

She turned around and seemed to be a bit terrified.

"K- Kabuto what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to hang out with you and since your sister said you´re not at home I thought I could look for you…"

I became a bit nervous and thought that she would send me away but surprisingly she didn´t

"Well now that you´re already here I can show you my little secret."

She slipped to the side and I saw a big Egg with blue dots on it. I was a bit confused because of the size since it was way too big to be a normal egg.

"What is that and from which animal is it? I never saw something like this before…"

"I don´t know it myself I found it in the woods and it was all alone so I decided to take care of it until it hatched…"

"I see hmm can I help you with it?"

"You really want to take care of an egg?"

"Sure as long as we can share time together it´s fine."

"Okay that will be fun when I´m not alone anymore!"

"But one thing why didn´t you tell you brothers or your sister about it?"

"Oh well you know I didn´t want Ame to know because I guess he would´ve liked to eat it and Souji and Haruhi would have told him so I couldn´t tell it to them as well…"

"Then why do you allow me to stay?"

"Because I trust you and I don´t think you would eat it."

She smiled and I blushed a little bit. _She trusts me…_

"You know if we do this together now we´re somekind of parents don´t you think so?"

She started giggling and I blushed even more.

"P- Parents but that would probably mean we would be married…"

"Is that such a bad idea?"

She now started laughing very loud. For her it was just a joke but I didn´t know why I liked the thought to be married with her even though I was maybe a bit too young to think about marriage.

"No not at all…"

"Fine then we´ll play husband and wife from now on until our little baby is hatched okay?"

"Okay…"

~ A few days later ~

I was walking in the inside of the cave with some books under my arm.

"Welcome back dear!"

"Huh? Oh uhm right I- I´m home honey…"

She smiled and I smiled as well and blushed. We were really acting like husband and wife or at least like we believed they acted.

"What are those books for?"

"They are about birds and how their eggs look like so maybe we´ll find out what kind of bird this one is."

"Oh great lets read them!"

We read all of them but non of those eggs in the book looked like the one we were taking care of.

"Maybe it´s not a bird or maybe it´s a species we don´t know about…"

"Hmm well I hope it will hatch very soon so that we can see what is inside. I´m so excited!"

The next day we were sitting there like always and talking but then suddenly the egg started cracking.

"Oh my god Kabuto look!"

She grabbed my hand and was holding on it very thight. We watched intensely how the shell of the egg cracked more and more until it was finally broken.

**[A/N: Hey guys I hope you like the Story so far :DD Reviews are very appreciated!]**


	6. Surprise

Sakuya´s P.O.V

The excitement was almost killing me but then finally there was something coming out of the egg. I was shocked and agape.

"Uhm is this a Snake?"

"Y- Yes…"

Kabuto lightly started shivering and I was a bit afraid as well. _What if it´s a poisoned one?_

The skin of the snake was white with blue dots and it had strangely a cute face. It was large maybe already 80-90 centimeters and meandered into my direction. I closed my eyes and felt how it slowly crawled over my leg. Then it wrapped around my waist and started licking over my face. I had to start laughing.

"S- Stop that tickels!"

"Seems like he likes you."

"Yes seems like it…."

Then the Snake streched out his head and also licked over Kabuto´s face. He first was a bit terrified but then smiled.

"I guess he accepted us as his parents."

I giggled and Kabuto blushed again. It looked like he was taking this a bit too serious but it was cute how he was always blushing because of that.

"And how should we call him?"

"Good question hmmm how about Aoi?"

"Aoi?"

"Yes because of the blue dots on his skin."

"Well why not sounds good."

"Great and do you like it as well Aoi?"

I didn´t know why but it looked like he was smiling so I took this as a yes. _I hope Haruhi will allow me to keep Aoi as my pet…_

~ 1 ½ year later ~

"Sakuya!"

Kabuto was running towards me and waved at me. Our friendship lasts now since nearly two years and I can´t tell how much he meant to me. Aoi was wrapped around my waist as usual and hissed. Aoi was really a strange snake it seemed like he was able to show emotions and he always looked like he was smiling but I really liked that about him.

"Kabuto I want to show you something!"

"Oh really what is it?"

"It´s a little surprise so let´s go somewhere else okay?"

"Yes…"

We walked away and Haruhi, Ame and Souji looked after us.

Souji´s P.O.V

We looked after Sakuya and Kabuto and I felt that I became lightly jelouse of him. He was spending so much time with my Sister that I didn´t have that much time with her alone.

"Souji why are you looking so sad?"

Haruhi looked down on me and I looked to the ground.

"W- Well I just wondered if Kabuto will now replace me as her brother because they´re spending so much time together…"

She suddenly started laughing and patted my head.

"Don´t worry about that she would never replace you and I believe that she doesn´t really see him as her brother but as something else maybe…"

"As what?"

She giggled and shaked her head.

"You´re too young you won´t understand it yet but I guess you already know how much she likes him…"

"Uhm yes I guess…"

"That´s all you need to know for the time being…"

Sakuya´s P.O.V

We walked to a tree and I wanted to show Kabuto that I was now able to control my Chakra so good that I could walk up on that tree.

"Look what I learned…"

I focused the Chakra into my feet and carefully took one step after the other up the tree until I was high enough. Then I turned around and looked down to Kabuto who seemed to be impressed.

"Wow that´s cool!"

"Yea right!"

"But be careful or you may will fall down…"

"Don´t worry I-"

I suddenly lost my concentration and was falling down.

"I- I-ll catch you!"

Kabuto catched me but he fell down to the ground and I was laying on him.

"Are you okay Kabuto?"

I heaved my head up and looked down on him while he suddenly blushed.

"Yes I´m alright…"

We were looking each other now deep in the eyes and the feeling I got while we were doing that was just incredible. It was a feeling I couldn´t describe and something I never felt before. This magic moment was suddenly destroyed because Aoi appeared infront of our faces. I stood up and helped Kabuto to get up as well and we both didn´t know what to say anymore.

"Uhm you should be more careful the next time or you´ll break your bones…"

"I know I´ll be more careful but thank you for catching me…"

I smiled and he smiled as well.

"No problem…"


	7. Farewell

Sakuya´s P.O.V

Kabuto and I were laying in the gras and talked about our future plans.

"What do you want to become? Do you want to be a Ninja?"

"No not really I would prefer a job in an Office or something like that and what about you?"

"I want to become a well known Shinobi all over the 5 Nations!"

"How do you want to do that?"

He sat up and looked at me.

"Well I don´t know but I´ll find a way!"

"I´m sure you will."

He smiled and then Ame walked over to us and sat down beside me.

"I want to tell you something…"

"And what?"

"I- I´ll leave tomorrow and won´t come back for a while…"

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"Well you see I want to experience some adventures and I only can do that if I leave."

"B- But I´ll miss you so bad!"

We often had conflicts and he was really annoying sometimes but I didn´t want him to leave.

"It´s not forever I´ll come back and then I´ll tell you about all my adventures how does this sound?"

"I guess I can´t convince you to stay so I have no other choice than saying yes…"

~ a few weeks later ~

Ame was gone now since a few weeks and I really missed him. It became so silent and nobody was there who started a conflict out of nowhere. _I hope he´ll be back soon…_

I was sitting under a huge Cherryblossom tree and was lost in my thoughts but then I heard Kabuto calling my name. He walked towards me but his expression looked a bit sad.

"Did something happen?"

"Well yes…"

He looked down to the ground and I suddenly got an uneasy feeling inside of me.

"I- I have to leave and work as a spy for Konoha…"

I was shocked.

"What? Why?"

"The orphanage needs money and I want to help them…"

I was speechless and felt sadness inside of me. _No I don´t want him to leave as well…_

"Please say something Sakuya! I really don´t want to hurt you by leaving but I have no other choice! Believe me I would prefer staying here with you than going but-"

I laid my hand over his mouth and looked up to him with a smile.

"You don´t have to apologize I understand that you don´t have another choice and it´s fine with me…"

"Really?"

"Yes but promise me that you won´t forget me!"

Aoi hissed.

"Oh and also don´t forget Aoi!"

"I could never forget you!"

He suddenly came closer and embraced me very tightly. He was holding me like this for a while.

"I promise I´ll come back after my work is done and when I come back I´ll be strong enough to protect you just as you protected me all this time!"

"Alright…"

Hearing this words coming out of his mouth was something that made me sad and happy at the same time. Also being so close to him made me somekind of nervous and when he let go of me I was a bit sad.

Then he suddenly seemed to have an idea.

"Do you have something sharp like a knife or a Kunai?"

"Uhm yes I have a Kunai but why?"

"Just give it to me I want to do something…"

"Okay…"

I gave it to him and he started scratching something in the tree. After he was done I was agape.

"Now we´ll never forget about each other…"

He smiled and I looked at our names he scrached on the tree and the heart he made around it.

"That´s so cute…"

"Well it´s time to say goodbye I guess…"

"I´ll miss you very much Kabuto! And please be careful and come back alive!"

"Yes I´ll and I will miss you like hell!"

We shortly hugged each other and then he walked away. I looked after him and felt tears in my eyes. _Kabuto no matter how long you will be away I´ll always wait for you!_

**[ Hey guys hope you like the Story so far :)) Maybe you would ask me now "Wait where did she protect him?" well I wanted to hold the Chapters with their childhood short and at the moment I just wanted to show the relationship between them. The part where she or he tells you about the times she protected him will come in later Chapters ^_^ Reviews are very appreciated!]**


	8. A Love Letter and Decisions

**[ A/N: Read and Review please :)) ]**

Kabuto´s P.O.V

~ 5 years later ~

_Wow I really can´t believe that it has been now 5 years since I left…_

I was sitting on a hillside holding a letter in my hands and thought about my home, my friends and Sakuya. I missed her a lot and now that I became older as well I finally understood the feelings I had for her. Obviously I was in Love with her and I still was. That was the reason why I wrote her something like a love letter and I decided to give it to her as soon as I can go home. I would´ve liked to know if she felt the same for me as I did for her.

As I remembered what I promised her I asked myself if I really was now strong enough to protect her. _I bet she became pretty strong herself so maybe she doesn´t need my protection…_

And I also wondered if her appearance had changed a lot. _Like I slowly become a young man she should also look like a young women now. I would really like to see her but I´m still not done with my work…_

My next destination would be Iwagakure and after that I was allowed to visit my home again. After 5 years I would see everybody again and I became really happy and enthused. _We´ll finally see each other again Mother, Sakuya and everybody else! I don´t know what could go wrong now…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

I was standing infront of the Cherryblossom tree where mine and Kabuto´s names were carved in. I smiled as I remembered him how he was always blushing because of simple things, how he often made me laugh and how I missed him over the last 5 years.

A lot of things happened after he was gone and nothing was the same anymore. Aoi wrapped himself a bit tighter around my waist and snuggled his head on my cheek.

Ame was still not back at home and that also made me sad. I would´ve liked to know if he was okay and where he was but no sign from him. Something really terrible also happened during the last 5 years. Haruhi was killed by some Criminals while Souji and I weren´t at home. When we came back we saw her laying on the ground with a Kunai stucking in her belly. Everywhere was blood so she must have tried to resist but lost in the end.

On this day I felt just as much anger as I felt back then when my Village was destroyed but I still couldn´t do anything. I was helpless and I didn´t know what to do anymore. I was 12 when she was killed and I had no clue what Souji and I should do from now on. _Where should we get money from? How should I take care of my little brother alone?_

All those things and even more where in my mind and the only solution was working as a Ninja for Konoha. I had no other choice to earn money for him and me. So I became a Genin and after that a Chunin at the age of 14. Now I was 15 and things should change from that day on.

Souji was 13 now and he wanted to do the same thing Ame did and travel through the country. I believed that he didn´t have the same intensions as Ame it was more because he thought he was a burden for me. He wasn´t I didn´t mind to work for him and me and if he would´ve became a Ninja as well everything could have been fine but that was not what he wanted and if I was honest to myself also not what I dreamed of.

The only good thing was that Souji was pretty skilled in using his water release Jutsus so I didn´t have to be worried about him but of course I was. He was my little brother and I still felt like I had to protect him and keep him safe but I wouldn´t stand in his way he had to go his own way and so had I.

I also was now a skilled fighter and my Fire release really became good. Ame would be proud of me or maybe he would just make a dumb joke as I knew him. My strengths were also my Speed since the most enemys had problems to follow me and my Tai-Jutsu.

Also I decided to leave the Village and become a member of a famous group called "The 9 Lights of the Shinobi World". They were a group of people who came from different Villages and all of them were pretty strong. They are known to do everything to keep the 5 Nations save and also their home villages. I also knew that they were allowed to choose the Village they wanted to protect since every Village wanted somebody of them.

My new goal was it to become a member of them and to become a well known Shinobi. _Yes that´s what I want to become!_

The sun was already setting and I touched the carving on the tree for the last time. _I´m sorry that I couldn´t hold my promise and wait for you but I´m sure we´ll meet sooner or later Kabuto…_

"So Aoi are you ready for our Journey?"

He hissed and nooded and I walked away knowing that I won´t see my home for a long time.


	9. So we meet again

Sakuya´s P.O.V

~ 5 years later ~

I was walking through Konoha and went into the direction of the Hokage´s office. After 5 years I nearly reached my goal to become a member of "The 9 lights of the Shinobi World" and I was really happy about that. Aoi ,wrapped around my waist as always, looked up to me and I grinned at him.

"Can you believe that we nearly made it? We will become members of an awesome group!"

He hissed and I softly strocked over his head. I was glad that he was with me and I wasn´t totally alone since I had to travel a lot in the last years. To become a member of that group I had to accomplish at least one mission succesfully in every Village without any exceptions and now I needed a confirmation from the Hokage that proofed that I was successful on the Misson he gave me.

I walked to the Hokage´s office and knocked on the door. He asked me to enter and I went in.

"Sakuya you did very well on your Mission."

"Thank you Hokage-sama! Could I ask you now to sign this confirmation that I was successful?"

"Sure give it to me I´ll do it now. Anyways how many Villages do you have left?"

"Only one and that would be Otogakure."

He suddenly looked up to me with a worried look in his eyes.

"Do you really have to go there as well?"

"Yes I have to accomplish at least one Mission in every Village."

After he signed the document and gave it back to me I wanted to leave but he stopped me.

"If you really go to Otogakure you should be really careful it´s very dangerous and not to mention that the Leader of that Village is Orochimaru."

I smiled and nooded while I found it very nice that he was so worried about me.

"Don´t worry about me Hokage-sama I will be careful and I won´t fail."

"I´m sure about that. Good luck!"

"Thank you!"

As I walked out of the office and through the corridor I remembered the day when I asked the Hokage if I could leave and he said surprisingly yes. He just agreed because he said he thought I could reach my goal and as long as I won´t become a Criminal it was fine by him. I was very thankful for his trust and thought about making Konoha the Village I want to protect but I was still unsure since there were a lot of Villages that could need somebody who would help them.

I walked out and Aoi pointed with his tail into the direction of a Restaurant.

"Are you hungry?"

He nooded.

"But you know that people are scared when I take you with me in there so I´ll just order something we can take with us in our Hotel all right?"

He nooded again and licked happily over my face while he slowly slided down on the ground. He was large maybe 2 ½ meter and sometimes he was pretty heavy since he always wrapped himself around my waist but I would never tell him to stop that since he was doing it since the day he hatched.

Then I walked into the Restaurant and ordered some food but when I came back out Aoi was gone.

"Aoi?"

I looked around but he wasn´t there and I sat down on a bench. It wasn´t the first time he went away on his own and I knew that he could take care of himself. He was a smart Snake with skills. I trained his sense of smell so good that he was now able to find somebody by his smell so he was a bit like a Dog. I knew he would find me again so I leand back and let the sun shine on my face and waited for Aoi to come back.

Kabuto´s P.O.V

_How annoying…_

It was now the 2nd part of the Chunin exams and what do I have to do? Trying to help the team around Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura to find their way out of the woods and also to overlook their abilitys. Doing such stuff was really not my thing but I had to act as the nice and caring boy even though that wasn´t my real face anymore.

After I killed Mother and found out that it was Konoha´s fault that I did so I decided to work for Orochimaru. He understood me and he had a good point in looking at things. The only thing I had to do before I was able to work for him was getting rid of all my feelings. The feelings I had for Mother, the feelings I had for the others in the Orphanage and especially the ones I had for Sakuya. They would just hold me back and all of those people belonged in the past they didn´t have a place in my future.

As sad as it may had sounded it was easy to forget about everybody or at least nearly everybody. I couldn´t doubt that there weren´t still moments when I had to think back to the time when I was a child and happy. When I was in Love and wanted nothing more than staying by that girls side but I couldn´t go back after what happened. I totally lost my faith in humanity and since she was a part of it also in her. Was it wrong to judge about everybody like that? Maybe but I didn´t regret it, I regret nothing I did the last 5 year.

"Are you done with resting now? I think it´s better if we go before the sun sets."

"Yea we can go b-"

Suddenly something headed into my direction with a high speed and before I could react it tore me down to the ground. I opened my eyes and saw a Snake laying on me and it started licking over my face. _Did Orochimaru-sama send it?_

"Oh no not again a Snake! Kabuto are you okay?"

Naruto looked a bit worried down on me and drew a Kunai but then I noticed blue dots on the skin of the Snake and remembered him.

"Aoi?"

He nooded and wrapped himself around me like he wanted to embrace me.

"It´s fine Naruto it isn´t a bad one…"

"Are you sure? We had to fight with one of those Monsters in the woods so you should be careful!"

"I know him he´s nice."

_But if Aoi is here that means Sakuya must be near as well. What should I do or say when I have to face her? Should I apologize? Should I tell her anything about the things that happened in the last 5 years? No there´s no need for that…_

I stood up, Aoi still wrapped around my waist and looking up to me.

"Do you want to accompany me for a bit?"

He nooded and I thought that it was no problem for me to take him with me. It reminded me somehow on the good old days even though I didn´t want to be remembered on that time. _Well can´t help it now that he´s here…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

I was sitting in my hotel room on the bed and was a bit worried about Aoi. It was unusual for him to be away for such a long time and it had been now a whole day. _What if he is in danger?_

Then I shaked my head and thought that he wasn´t a Snake who couldn´t help himself. _I guess I just have to be a bit more patient…_

Hours later somebody knocked on my door and I opened it.

"Oh Aoi where have you been?"

He looked a bit excited and tried to show me something with his tail.

"Do you want me to follow you?"

He nooded and wrapped his tail around my wrist dragging me with him.

"Wait a second it´s already dark outside should we really go now?"

It seemed like he just irgnored me since he didn´t stop. After walking for a while he stopped and I was confused. I looked around and there was absolutely nothing.

"What are we doing here?"

Aoi just placed himself now again around my waist and I didn´t know what he wanted from me.

"Hey Aoi it´s pretty late so what the hell are we doing here?"

Then I facepalmed myself because Aoi may was smart but he couldn´t talk so how should he tell me what we were doing here. Suddenly I saw a person walking in our direction, a boy with a ponytail and glasses. As he walked closer to us Aoi started hissing but it didn´t seem like he was an enemy so I waited what would happen next.

The boy was standing now infront of me and had a light smile on his face but I still didn´t know what was going on. _Is he a friend of Aoi?_

"Can I help you?"

I asked ,examining the young man standing infront of me. He wore a black shirt and also black pants with a headband from Konoha.

"Don´t you know who I am?"

He raised an eybrow and looked down on me while my eyes suddenly widened as I recognized the person standing infront of me.

**[A/N: Reviews are very appreciated :)) ]**


	10. Still the same?

Sakuya´s P.O.V

I couldn´t believe who was standing infront of me and placed my hand on his chest just to make sure that it wasn´t my imagination or a dream.

"Can´t you believe that it´s me?"

"No… I mean yes I believe that it´s you but seeing you after such a long time is…"

"Weird?"

"Yes a little bit…"

I was so confused, shocked and happy at once that I didn´t know what to say but then he grabbed my hand and started smiling.

"I´m happy to see you again after such a long time."

"I´m happy as well…"

I smiled and wondered what he was doing here but before I could ask he suddenly dragged me near him and embraced me tightly just as he did back then before he went away. I blushed but enjoyed it somekind of since my feelings for him never really changed.

"K- Kabuto what are you doing?"

It felt so unusual since we weren´t kids anymore. He became a young man, tall and he had muscles now. I couldn´t believe that he once was the small weak boy who always had to be protected because now he looked like he could handle everything on his own just as he told me before he left. We remaind like this for a while but something was different from the last time. It was his heartbeat I couldn´t hear it. The last time he hugged me so tight his heart was pounding fast but now there was nothing. _So does that mean his feelings changed?_

Kabuto´s P. O.V

I saw two persons with a dog coming into our direction and I thought that they must be here because of the explosion from before that´s why I embraced Sakuya in the first place. I thought they would just pass by because they may could have thought we were busy with some other business but then they walked closer to us and I became a bit nervous. Even though I removed the smell there was a chance that the dog could find something. I stole some DNA so what if he smells that?

They came closer and closer but then the women seemed to recognize me holding Sakuya and told her partner to walk further. I was relieved and let go of her. _That was a close call…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

When he let go of me I saw two persons and a dog passing by and had suddenly a bad suspicion. _Did he just use me as a distraction? _

"So Sakuya what have you been doing the last time and why are you here?"

"Well I was traveling through the 5 Nations to accomplish one Mission in every Village to become a member of "The 9 Light of the Shinobi World" and Konoha was the penultimate Village."

"Which one is the last one?"

"Otogakure."

He suddenly looked a bit shocked but just for a moment.

"I wouldn´t go there if I were you."

"Why?"

"It´s dangerous."

"I know the Hokage already told me about it but I have to do it."

He shaked his head.

"You really should think about it the Leader of Otogakure is cruel and merciless what if he kills you?"

I had to giggle and he just looked confused at me.

"Did I say something funny?"

"No but do you really think I can´t take care of myself?"

"I don´t think so but I also know the danger that awaits you there…"

"I know what I do I´m already doing this since 5 years so don´t worry."

"B-"

I just laid my hand on his mouth to make him shut up. He gently took my hand away and sighed.

"I guess I can´t convince you so do whatever you want…"

"By the way what have you been doing all this time?"

I looked at him with a very curious look since I always wondered why he didn´t come back home.

"Oh uhm well nothing special if I´m honest…"

"Really? Have you visited the Orphanage in the last time?"

The look in his eyes suddenly changed a lot and I couldn´t tell what it was supposed to mean but it looked somekind of… well emotionless.

"No…"

"Why?"

"That´s non of your business!"

He was yelling a little bit and said it with such a rage in his voice. I was a bit terrified since I knew him as someone who used to be shy and friendly but now he had changed. It were just a few minutes I was standing here with him now but I could tell something was wrong he wasn´t the person he used to be. His heartbeat, his eyes and his whole personality it changed. _But why? What happened during that time?_

"I´m sorry I didn´t mean to be rude but please stop asking me such questions."

"Okay…"

I decided that I won´t bother him with that now but I´ll find out what happened no matter what. After all I saw him as my friend and if he was in trouble or if he would need my help in any other kind of way I would help him.

"I have to go now."

He had a light smile on his face again but even his smile changed so much. As long as I knew him he had always such a bright friendly smile but now there was just this light one and it looked like he had to force himself to do so. _What happened with you Kabuto?_

"Alright. Will we see each other again?"

After I said that he looked at me for a few seconds and seemed to thought about something but then he shrugged.

"Maybe or maybe not I don´t know."

"Well then Goodbye."

He turned around and waved shortly to symbolize a goodbye as well and I couldn´t say how dissapointed I was now. _So he doesn´t even care if we see us again? Doesn´t he like me anymore? I always thought he would feel the same for me but was it just my imagination? Was it just a dream? I´m so confused…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

I had to go or I would´ve told her about everything what happened. I didn´t thought that it would be so hard for me to talk with her. She was still the same as before, still the kind girl I knew from back then and I would´ve liked it if she could save her memorys from the old me. The boy who used to love her and not the cold emotionless person I was now. _I just hope that she will change her mind about that Otogakure thing…_

_If she would come there it was possible that we meet again and I don´t want that._ I just wanted to do the things I used to do and if she would show up I didn´t know what I would do. _And if I´m honest as good as I know Orochimaru-sama I guess he will neither kill her or use her for some experiments… I could never hurt her! But maybe she leaves me no choice if she really comes there. Please change your mind Sakuya for your own Sake…_


	11. You re hired

Sakuya´s P.O.V

~ 1 month later ~

_How booooooooring…_

I was laying on the floor in my hotel room and starred up to the ceiling. For getting my mission I had to meet with the Leader of the Village but he wasn´t there at the moment and I was waiting now since one month.

Aoi laid on my belly and slept while Kabuto still was on my mind. _Why did he became so angry when I asked him for the Orphanage? Did something happen there? Did somebody die? Maybe Nonou?But why wouldn´t he tell me that? _

I sighed and thought that it didn´t really made sense to think about him and his problems all the time. Since I had to fully concentrate on my next mission there wasn´t really time for him anyways.

The other day I walked again to the place where the Leader of the Village Orochimaru used to live. _Or should I say hide?_

It was a hideout in the woods so he probably didn´t want anybody to find him but I had my conections so I was able to find out about it. I knocked on the door but nobody opened. _Maybe he just doesn´t open because he thinks that I´m an enemy?_

Suddenly I heard how somebody came to the door but was ready to attack since it could be somebody to get rid of me. I drew a Kunai and hide it behind my back while Aoi seemed to be pretty relaxed. I knew that if it was an enemy that was coming out he would probably have warned me. The door opened and I was standing a bit behind the door so that the person wasn´t able to see me. It was somebody with a black cloak on and he walked into the woods but because of the hood I couldn´t tell if it maybe was Orochimaru who came out. Before the door closed I slipped in there and was now standing in a long hallway. _Damn how should I find Orochimaru here?_

As I walked I thought that his room must have looked different from the other ones. _I mean he´s the leader so it is pretty possible…_

It took me nearly an hour until I really found a room with a snake sign on the door. _Well not that different but I´ll give it a try!_

Then I carefully opened the door and looked inside.

"Who are you?"

I was terrified as I heared a voice from inside but then I walked in and looked at a man who was laying in his bed. His pale skin and the marks around his eyes told me that it had to be Orochimaru.

"I´m sorry that I just came here on my own without your permission but since nobody opened me the door I had no other choice."

He examined me with his golden eyes.

"Then tell me who you are and why you´re here."

"My name is Sakuya and I´m here because I want you to give me a Mission."

"For which reason?"

"The group which I want to be a member of has a simple rule how to become one. The person has to accomplish one Mission successfully in every Village without any exceptions and now I am here to take on a Mission for Otogakure."

"I see, what kind of missions do you accept?"

"Well I can catch criminals and bring them to prison, I can play the bodyguard for a person you want me to protect, I can bring messages for other villages to them or messages from other villages to you or I can protect the Village from somebody who wants to attack it. Those are the ones I take on."

"Interesting… Come a bit closer…"

I walked closer to him and he then got a smirk on his face.

"Aren´t you scared of me? You must have heard about the rumors about me didn´t you?"

A light smile appeard on my face as I remembered that a lot of people warned me to come here.

"No I´m not because I don´t believe in rumors. I want to meet the person myself and find out what kind of person he or she is. Not to mention that I really had scarier customers as you…"

"So you think I´m scary?"

He raised his eyebrows but had still that smirk on his face which made me more relieved.

"No not at all…"

"Good, well I think I´ll give you a mission but let me first talk about it with my right hand man."

"Why do you need his opinion?"

"He will be a part of that mission as well just as me but he isn´t that, well how should I call that… sociable with other people so I need to know if he can work with you or not…"

"Is he so important that you have to look after his feelings? What kind of crybaby is that guy?"

He chuckled a bit.

"He isn´t a crybaby but as I said my right hand man and if he says he can´t work along with you I probably have to listen to him because then he must have his reasons, if you understand what I mean."

"I guess I do… Where is he?"

"Just gone to get some new herbs for medicine but he´ll be back soon. Until then take a seat."

"Thank you."

I sat on a chair but then Aoi suddenly crawled to Orochimaru´s bed, went in there and licked over his face as well.

"Aoi stop that! He´s a customer!"

"It´s fine don´t worry…"

Aoi stopped licking and looked Orochimaru now in the eyes.

"You like snakes?"

"Yes I like them a lot! And especially since I have Aoi."

"Could that be the reason why you´re not very scared of my appearance?"

"Hmm well maybe…"

"Your friend here seems to like me, is he always so trusting against other people?"

"Yes sadly he is…"

I sighed and Orochimaru seemed to like Aoi somekind of.

"It´s not bad but he has to be careful not everybody reacts like me."

"I know that it happened often enough that people ran away because Aoi came after them and since they didn´t know that he just wanted to be nice they thought he wanted to eat them…"

"Yes not everybody likes snakes …"

"By the way could I ask you something Orochimaru-sama?"

"What?"

"Who is your right hand man?"

I became suspeciouse and I wanted to know who the person was that had so much problems to work with other people. _Maybe it is Souji? He always was a bit unsocialable and I don´t know where he is at the moment so maybe it is him?_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

I came back into the hideout and walked into the direction of Orochimaru´s room since he said he had to talk with me about a new mission. It probably would have had something to do with his arms that were seald from the third Hokage. Orochimaru was now unable to make handsigns and for somebody like him that was just the pure horror.

I reached his room and opened the door.

"Oh hello Kabuto."

My mouth opened a little bit when I saw who was sitting there beside Orochimaru.

"S- Sakuya? What are you doing here?"

"Getting my mission what else? I told you about it."

_No this just had to be a dream…_

"It´s good that you two already know each other that means there shouldn´t be a problem with your teamwork."

"Teamwork?"

I was confused. _Does he want to tell me I had to go on a Mission with her?_

"Sakuya would you please go out for a minute so that Kabuto and I can talk about the Mission?"

"Sure no problem."

Sakuya stood up and walked out but glanced at me with an angry look.

"So Kabuto what do you think?"

"I can´t work with her!"

Orochimaru seemed to be surprised.

"Why?"

"Because well uhm-"

"Let me guess because she is a part of the past you want to forget? Is it because of that?"

"Yes…"

"That´s not a real reason for me why I shouldn´t let her take place in our mission. We could need a bodyguard on that mission."

"What kind of mission is it? I can do it also on my own I don´t need her."

"You can´t Kabuto believe me. I know you have skills but even you can´t do that on your own. I´ll come with you two as well and together we´ll look for Tsunade. She is the only person who should be able to heal my arms and since she´s also a member of the Legendary Sannin we shouldn´t underestimate her. Do you understand what I want to tell you?"

"Yes but I still believe that we don´t need her. I can protect you by myself Orochimaru-sama!"

"I already decided that she´ll accompany us so stop complaining and deal with it."

"Yes Orochimaru-sama…"

I became angry because I didn´t want to be on a mission with her. That was unnecessary time I had to share with her and I didn´t want that.

"Sakuya you can come in."

She came back and Orochimaru told her what her part was on that mission.

"You just have to protect me and Kabuto that is all. Do you accept?"

"Of course I do!"

"Fine it´ll start tomorrow morning. You can stay here for the night. Kabuto show her a room where she can stay and after that prepear some dinner."

"Yes."

I walked out and Sakuya followed me but then suddenly she pushed me against the wall and grabbed me on my collar.

"Why didn´t you tell me that you work for him?"

She twinkled bad at me and I made her let go of me.

"As I said what I do is non of your business."

The angry look on her face suddenly changed and she looked more dissapointed and sad. We walked a bit further until we reached a room. I opened it and took the light on.

"I hope this is okay for you."

"Yes sure…"

"I´ll bring you something to eat as soon as I´m done."

"Wait a second!"

"What?"

I was standing on the door and she looked at me with her big brown eyes.

"D- Do you still like me?"

When she asked me this question I didn´t know what to say. _Did I still like her? Of course I did deep deep inside of me but that was the old me who liked her. The new me had no friends or comarades he just had himself._

"I don´t know…"

I said as I walked out of the room knowing that I maybe hurted her because I said that. _I don´t care…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

Kabuto closed the door and I was shocked and sad. _So he really doesn´t like me anymore…_

I was prepeared for that but it still hurts somekind of. He was one of the most preciouse persons for me so how could I say now that I didn´t care for him anymore? _Well whatever now I have to concentrate on my misson. I had to be successful or everything was for nothing. The problems I have with Kabuto have to wait now…_


	12. Reunion of the Siblings

Sakuya´s P.O.V

The next morning we started our mission and went into a town to look for this women Orochimaru wanted to find. As I heard was her name Tsunade and she was one of the Legendary Sannin just like Orochimaru. I was a bit excited since she would be a strong opponent and I couldn´t lose against her but since it wasn´t said that I had to fight her it was fine.

"Where should we look first Orochimaru-sama?"

"Let´s ask some people if they have seen her maybe they can help us."

Kabuto and I asked a few people and one of them really had seen her.

"Yes she walked in that direction maybe 10 minutes ago."

"Thank you!"

I walked over to Orochimaru and Kabuto and told them what that man said.

"Good that means we´ll soon meet up with her. Sakuya one thing before we go I want you to stay in the backround so that she can´t see you and if something happens you´ll immediately do something understood?"

"Yes I won´t fail!"

Kabuto and Orochimaru walked away and I followed them inconspicuous. Then they stopped as they saw a women with blonde hair and brown eyes and another young women with black hair and a pig on her arms. I hide behind a tree and watched them as they talked. Suddenly the black haired women attacked them and I was about to left my hiding place but Orochimaru looked in my direction and shaked his head. I was a bit confused since I thought I had to protect them.

After a while they were done and left without the women. I also went away and when I met up with them I had a few questions.

"Why did you tell me not to help you? I thought I´m your bodyguard?"

Orochimaru wanted to say something but Kabuto interrupted him.

"Everything was fine I can surely take care of myself and Orochimaru-sama."

"But I was hired for that if you didn´t notice it!"

"Stop fighting you two it was fine like it was. We have now a week until she´ll tell us her decision so we´ll stay in a hotel until then. Kabuto get us three rooms."

"Yes Orochimaru-sama."

Kabuto went away and Orochimaru and I sat down on a bench. He must have noticed my lightly sad expression because he asked me what was wrong.

"Nothing I just think Kabuto doesn´t really want me to be a part of that mission…"

"I told you he´s complicated."

"I know but…"

I sighed. _Why do I tell him about it? It´s not like he could help me…_

Suddenly there appeard a person infront of us with a hood on so that I couldn´t see who it was. The person made handsigns and I recognized them as the ones for the fire release jutsu my brother once tought me. So he was about to spit fire at us but since I knew it soon enough I also prepeared to hold against it. I placed myself infront of Orochimaru and the person and I started spitting fire. The fire clashed against each other and I was holding against his. _I´ll protect Orochimaru!_

The person then stopped and suddenly vanished.

"Aoi can you tell me where he is?"

He pointed with his tail behind me and I spit another bunch of fire there. I burned some shrubbery and trees down and saw the person. Then I drew a Kunai and headed to him but he easily dodged me. He was fast but that also was one of my strengths. Everytime I tried to hit him he was able to resist and so was I but it seemed like we were equal with our powers.

But then he made handsigns I didn´t know and his fists were covered in fire. He attacked me with it and I had problems to dodge. _Damn who is that?_

When he tried to hit me I dodged again and he hit against a tree. I was shocked he was able to hit through the tree with his bare fists. The Jutsu he was using had to be pretty powerful but also very dangerous for me. Then suddenly I heard how the person started laughing and took his hood down.

"You´re still too weak little Sister!"

"Ame!"

I ran to him and hugged him. It had been now 10 years since the last time we saw each other and I was so glad that he was okay.

"What are you doing here?"

"I´m on a mission and you?"

"I´m just traveling as always."

Then I remembered that I just left Orochimaru on his own and grabbed Ame´s arm to drag him with me.

"I´m sorry Orochimaru-sama it was just my idiot of brother who attacked us."

"I see, well better than a real enemy."

Ame examined Orochimaru and had a smirk on his face.

"Say Orochimaru don´t you remember me anymore?"

Orochimaru also examined Ame but then shaked his head.

"No why? Should I?"

"Well it has been now 6 years since you hired me to steal something for you and then you asked me to become a member of your team but I refused."

"Oh right the boy who stole the scroll for me where some forbidden jutsus were written in and you had also pretty good fighting skills."

"Yes! And as I see now you have hired my Sister."

"Indeed she´s my bodyguard."

"You couldn´t have choose a worser one than her."

"Hey! I´m standing right beside you idiot!"

"I don´t really mind…"

He looked down on me with a smirk and I would´ve liked to punch him in the face. _That Idiot he´s just two minutes here and has to talk shit about me!_

Ame sat down beside Orochimaru as suddenly Kabuto came back and looked a bit confused.

"Who is that?"

"Oh my don´t tell me you´re that Nerd from that orphanage?!"

"Nerd?"

"It´s me Ame! Hey Sakuya why didn´t you tell me that your boyfriend came with you?"

"MY WHAT?"

I looked shocked at Ame and Kabuto cleared his throat.

"I´m not her boyfriend."

"Oh really why not?"

Kabuto didn´t have an answer for that question but me neither.

"Well I don´t really care anyways…"

He stood up again and grabbed Kabuto´s arm.

"You´re still not doing that much training as I see."

Ame smirked again but Kabuto didn´t really show any reaction he just freed his arm from Ame´s grip. He then sat down on the bench again and said that he was thirsty.

"Oh well I´m thirsty as well. Kabuto go and get us something to drink."

"Alright."

"Wait I´ll come with you to buy something to eat for Aoi."

Kabuto and I went away and let Orochimaru and Ame sitting there alone for a while.

Orochimaru´s P.O.V

"So you´re her brother?"

"Yes! I mean we´re not blood related but for me it never really mattered."

"I see and what about Kabuto?"

"What is with him?"

"Well Sakuya told me he was a very close friend in their childhood but Kabuto just said it was nothing. So what is the truth?"

Ame chuckled.

"My Sister Haruhi once said something to our little brother Souji. She said that the relationship between Sakuya and Kabuto was something more than friendship but that she also didn´t see him as her brother. We were so young back then and didn´t really know what she meant but after a while I recognized it as well. They were in Love with each other it was so obvious that´s why I thought he is her boyfriend now."

"That really is another version of the Story but if that´s true then I finally understand why Kabuto didn´t want her to accompany us."

"He didn´t want to? Since when is that? He adored her back then so what happened?"

"A lot of things but if you want to know that you should ask him yourself."

"I´ll surely do that!"

_Interesting very interesting… So Kabuto once loved that girl? I knew something was wrong with him but well can´t help it now. But what should I do if his feelings come back? Killing her? Well I have to admit that she´s very likeable and she also has skills so what if I would want to keep her? Kabuto surely doesn´t want it but does that really matter? I have to think about it for a while and also overlook her abilitys a bit more before I take my decision…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

We came back with some drinks and I asked Ame how long he would stay with us.

"Well I´ll only stay until it become dark then I´ll continue my journey."

"I see that´s somekind of sad I wish we could have spend some more time together…"

Kabuto suddenly interrupted our conversation.

"Don´t forget that you have a mission as well or do you want to give up and hang out with your brother?"

He looked at me with a very scornful look and I became lightly angry again.

"No I don´t but I haven´t seen him for a long time and of course I´´m happy to see him now."

"You should get rid of your feelings or you´ll never be a good Shinobi."

I was somekind of shocked when I heard that but he then just walked away. _What does that mean? He doesn´t have any feelings anymore?_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

_That damn girl and her family reunion!_

I walked a bit further away from them so that they couldn´t see my lightly angry but also sad expression. If it came to hiding my true feelings it was easy for me to do that normally but seeing those two together so happy really made me jealous because I´ll never experience something like that. Not that I cared anyways but still it was unfair.

After a while I stopped walking and leaned against a tree where some leafes were falling down on my head. I wiped them away but took one of them in my hand and clenched my teeth. _It is all the fault of the hidden leaf village! Only because of them I´m alone now! Only because of them Mother had to die! I really hate them!_

Suddenly somebody laid his hand on my shoulder and I looked beside me. It was Ame with an serious expression on his face.

"Why are you so impolite to my Sister? Don´t you see that it hurts her?"

"I don´t care about her and how I talk to her is non of your business."

"Tz you can tell me a lot but I don´t believe you. You were in Love with her and now you tell me that you don´t care about her anymore? Bullshit!"

He looked at me with an urgently look but I just ignored that and starred to the other side. Then he grabbed me on both shoulders and made me face him.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don´t like her! Tell me that if she dies you wouldn´t care!"

"I-"

I would´ve liked to tell him that I really didn´t care anymore but was that really the truth? Wouldn´t I really be sad if she dies? I didn´t know.

"I believe that you still care for her but for some reason you don´t want to show it. Just stop being so rude to her and saying that you don´t care, it makes her sad and everybody who hurts my little sister will get a problem with me, understood?"

"Whatever…"

"Something else I wanted to ask you. I mean since you and her had been so good friends and always been there for each other. Please take care of her."

"What? Are you kidding? Didn´t you listen to what I said?"

"I did and it´s not like I think she is too weak to take care of herself but I would feel better if I knew that somebody´s watching over her. So promise me that you will protect her!"

"I won´t promise you anything I can´t hold…"

He sighed but then laid an arm around me.

"I´m sure you will even if you say no at the moment. It´s just a matter of time…"

I wrenched his arm away and shoved my glasses further up my nose. _What does he think I am? Her babysitter? Her guardian? If she is in danger she can take care of herself or die. Why should I help her…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

When the sun started setting I had to say goodbye to Ame. I embraced him tightly and he stroked over my hair.

"Take care and I hope we´ll see us again very soon big Brother!"

"Sure and you too. The next time we see each other I won´t be so careful by attacking you so be prepeard!"

He chuckled and I smiled.

"Don´t worry I´ll become stronger until the next time."

Then he walked away and I became a bit sad but was then reminded that I had to take care of my job again. We walked to the hotel where Kabuto ordered three rooms but then we got a little surprise.

"What does that mean you only have two rooms with one bed in each of them left? I ordered three if you can´t remember."

"I´m sorry but I can´t change it now…"

The young women gave Kabuto two keys and he walked angry to me and Orochimaru.

"Great and what are we doing now?"

"It´s fine I can go and look for another place to stay."

I said but Orochimaru shaked his head.

"No I want you to stay near us. You can share a room with Kabuto."

"I don´t want to share a room with her!"

Orochimaru looked pissed at Kabuto.

"That´s not your decision."

"It´s fine Kabuto I can sleep on the floor so you won´t notice that I´m here."

"Like I would let a girl sleep on the floor. I will but I don´t want to hear only one peep from you."

"Okay…"

_Why does he have to be so mean to me? What have I done to him? That will be a long week if we have to share a room…_


	13. The Pain they shared

Sakuya´s P.O.V

I was standing in the bathroom and changed my clothes to go to bed. Kabuto was still in Orochimaru´s room so that he didn´t have to share too much time with me. The fact that my once so close friend became so cold and distanced towards me was hurting but it didn´t seem like I could change that.

Later on, I was already laying in the bed with Aoi, he came back with just a blanket and a pillow under his arm. He didn´t say a word he just laid the things down on the ground and went into the bathroom while I watched him the whole time. When he came back out he wasn´t wearing his glasses anymore and also his hair was open and falling over his shoulders. He looked really cute like that but of course I wouldn´t say that to him. He would just become angry again and I didn´t want that to happen.

After a while, I was laying there and couldn´t sleep, I interrupted the silence.

"Kabuto are you sleeping?"

"No."

I looked up to the ceiling not sure if I should continue the conversaition or if I just should shut my mouth.

"How is Nonou doing?"

He didn´t give an answer to that and I rolled to the side then closing my eyes since I thought it had no use to talk with him but then he suddenly replied.

"She´s dead…"

The sound of his voice was suddenly so soft and sad when he said that and my bad suspecion became reality.

"My condolence… She really was a nice women."

"Yes she was but can´t help it…"

"It must have been hard for you when this happened. I know how much you loved her…"

First I thought I went too far by saying that but he gave me a calm answer.

"Yes I did…"

Then I thought about if I should tell him what happened with Haruhi and decided to do it.

"Haruhi also died 8 years ago…"

"My condolence…"

The soft tone of his voice gave me the feeling that I was talking to the old him and not to the person he used to be now. It was a good feeling to know that he still had a part of his old personality deep inside. After a while I finally fell asleep while cuddling with Aoi.

Kabuto´s P.O.V

I felt sorry for her when I heard that her Sister died. They were so close to each other and she must have felt the same pain I did when Mother wasn´t there anymore. _So we somekind of shared the same Pain…_

Then I fell asleep.

~ inside Kabuto´s mind ~

_Huh where am I?_

I was standing on water and looked down just to see the reflection of me as a child. _Why am I a child now?_

I went to the squat and examined my reflection a bit more. While touching my face I suddenly heard somebody calling my name.

"Kabuto!"

I stood up and looked infront of me where the young Sakuya was standing with a smile on her face. She streched out her hand and said that I should come to her. Then I was running towards her but it was like she was going further away, I wasn´t able to reach her.

"Wait for me Sakuya!"

Suddenly she disappeared and I was surrounded by darkness. I started shivering and looked around just to see that there was now absolutely nothing.

"Sakuya? Where are you?"

I wanted her to come back and stay by my side. The darkness scared me so much. _Help me please…_

After a while there appeared a mirror infront of me and I looked inside just to see my normal appearace. My child form was gone but I still was scared of the darkness. _But why? Wasn´t the darkness a part of me for a long time now?_

Then I noticed a person standing a bit further away from me with a hood on. I couldn´t say who it was but he or she was holding a Kunai in the hand and suddenly ran to me and attacked me with it. I just used my Chakra scalpel to defend myself and hit the person on the belly. The blood was dripping on the ground and the person also fell down.

"K- Kabuto… Why?…"

I was shocked when the person talked to me with a very familiar voice and I kneeled down infront of her. Feard to see who it was I slowly took the hood down and immediately noticed blonde hair. _No Mother not again!_

But when I fully removed it I was shocked who was laying there. It was Sakuya.

"No this can´t be…"

I tried to heal her injury without any success and tears were running down my face.

"W- Why did you- do that?"

"I didn´t know that it was you I would never hurt you!"

"Yo- You lie…. You´re just a liar you killed me just as merciless as you killed your mother…"

"That´s not true! I didn´t know that it was her and I also didn´t know that it was you!"

"You´re a murderer, a cold hearted killer and you´ll always hurt the people close to you…"

"Sakuya I-"

"I hate you…"

She said and closed her eyes. I was holding her dead body in my arms and was despaired. _No please not again…_

Then there appeared another person and it was me as a child. The young me just looked at the dead body of Sakuya and then at me. He shaked his head and walked away.

"Wait I didn´t want to do that believe me! Forgive me! Please forgive me!"

I woke up again, running with sweat and also shivering as the picture of me killing Sakuya still remaind in my head. I decided that I needed some fresh air and stood up, looking at the peacfully sleeping Sakuya. _She is alright it was just a dream thanks god…_

I took my shoes on and went up to the roof of the hotel where I was able to look over nearly the whole town. The cold wind felt good and cooled me down but then it started raining. I didn´t mind and was just standing there looking at the dark silent town while the water was dropping down from my hair. Just after a few minutes I was totally wet and my black shirt stuck tightly on my body just as my pants did. Some wisps from my hair also were falling in my face but it was fine with me. _Will I really hurt her one day? _That was the only question on my mind. _I still care for her there´s no doubt about it but I´ll never be able to show her that I do. As soon as I show her that there is the possibility that I hurt her myself and I can´t endure this pain of losing a beloved person again. That´s why I´m glad when this mission is over and I´ll never have to see her again. If she isn´t there anymore I can´t hurt her so it´s fine…_

After a while, just standing there in the rain and thinking about some stuff, I went back into the room. I tried to be as quiet as possible and sat down on the ground, still wet.

"Kabuto?"

Sakuya was sitting in her bed and looking at me.

"I´m sorry I didn´t want to wake you up."

"Where were you?"

"Just outside for a while…"

Then she noticed the water dripping on the floor and stood up. She went into the bathroom and came back with a towel with what she started rubbing my hair.

"H- Hey what are you doing?"

"You´ll catch a cold if you remain like this!"

After she was done with my hair she ordered me to change my clothes.

"It´s fine I´ll stay like this until morning."

"No you won´t that is unconfortable and you could get sick!"

I didn´t want to fight with her so I just changed my clothes as she said and came back.

"Are you happy now?"

"Yes."

She smiled and stroked a wisp out of my face. I blushed a little bit when I felt her light touch and then she went back to bed.

"Goodnight Kabuto…"

"Goodnight…"

**[ A/N: Hey guys I hope you like the Story so far :)) It would be nice if you could give me some Reviews and tell me your opinion about it :DD ]**


	14. Sakuya injured

Sakuya´s P.O.V

The week passed very fast and Kabuto wasn´t acting so rude anymore. He still didn´t talk with me that much or showed any emotions towards me but it was better than being offended and stuff.

Today was the day Orochimaru would meet up with Tsunade and I had to say I was excited as hell. _Now everything will be decided if I did my job well or not…_

I hide again behind that tree but I couldn´t see Kabuto with Orochimaru this time. _Where is he? Doesn´t he want to protect him as well?_

Tsunade showed up also alone this time and it seemed like she was willing to help Orochimaru but suddenly Kabuto appeared stopping her from doing whatever she was doing. _That means something has to be wrong!_

I left my hiding place and ran to them just to hear Tsunade say that she would never help somebody like Orochimaru. I put myself infront of those two and the women was looking at me with a light confused look.

"Who are you girl? Get out of the way!"

"I won´t! I am their bodyguard and if you want to harm them you first have to fight me!"

"Fine!"

She attacked me but I dodged and jumped up on a wall. I gave Kabuto and Orochimaru a sign that they should go as long as I fight with her and then jumped down to ran. Tsunade followed me until we reached a huge meadow where she then hit on the ground. A huge hole appeared there now and I was scared of her strength. _But what am I expecting she´s one of the Legendary Sannin after all…_

Her Tai Jutsu was brilliant and even though mine wasn´t bad as well it was hard to dodge her all the time but I couldn´t find a chance to attack her.

"Listen brat your Tai Jutsu skills may be good but you can´t hold this speed any longer so just give up and I won´t hurt you!"

"Never!"

I wouldn´t give up now I had to fullfil my mission no matter what and I would do that at any cost. I didn´t do that for nothing definitely not.

Now that I had a little distance to her I made handsigns and spit some fire at her but she easily dodged that and jumped at me willingly to take me down. Last minute I could dodge but she was right using my speed and my fire release at the same time was still hard for me.

"I´ll end this now I have no time for you!"

She made handsigns and attacked me again, I tried to dodge but she got my leg and when I tried to land I fell down. When I tried to get back up my leg wasn´t moving and I was helpless laying there. _Oh no that´s really bad!_

"I´m sorry but I have to finish you now…"

As she now reached out to give me the rest I closed my eyes and thought that I really had a short life. I was prepeared to die but then all of a sudden I felt how somebody took me up from the ground and saved me. When I opened my eyes I saw Kabuto and he brought me a bit further away behind a rock.

"You did well but now I´ll take care of her."

"Thank you…"

I was glad that he saved me but also now very despaired. _I can´t move my leg so what should I do now? How can I help them?_

The battle continued and Kabuto really was a skilled fighter I never could´ve imagined that. Later on there also appeared some other people. The young women with the black hair and the pig, a blonde young boy and an old man with long white hair. Also Orochimaru was there now and everybody was fighting just I still couldn´t do anything. I could move my arms and my right leg but the other one was still numb and I would just stand in their way if I join the battle now.

"Aoi what should I do?"

He looked up to me and hissed like he didn´t know it as well and suddenly Kabuto was smashed against the rock where I was sitting behind.

"Kabuto!"

I crawled to him and looked at the injury on his belly that looked serious but was immediately healing.

"I´m fine don´t forget that I´m a medical ninja as well."

He smirked and stood back up while I was a bit relieved that he was okay. Orochimaru came over to us and ordered Kabuto to summon something. The next thing what happened was that we were standing ,or like me sitting ,on the head of a large snake. One hundred times larger than Aoi was. I was agape but was nearly sliding down but Kabuto was holding me tight on my arm.

After Tsunade and also the old man with the white hair summond some animals the fight was at such a high level that I thought even if I could move right now I wouldn´t have any chances in this match. _So that´s the power of the Legendary Sannin..._ Since I thought the old man must have been also a member of them.

Kabuto suddenly took me up on his arms and Orochimaru started fighting with Tsunade just the two of them. She punched him a few times pretty hard and I realized that I failed at my mission. It was over now…


	15. All for Nothing?

Sakuya´s P.O.V

_No now it´s all over I failed…_

After the fight we went back to the hideout, Kabuto still carrying me on his arms and I was just as despaired as somebody could be. This was the first mission that ever failed and my dream to become a member of "The 9 Lights of the Shinobi World" was destroyed now.

Kabuto brought me into a room where he took care of my leg.

"So it should be fine now."

He stood up and sat down beside me and as if he knew what I was thinking he said something to me I never would have expected him to say.

"You really did a good job it was impressive that you were able to resist against her for so long."

"But good doesn´t mean I accomplished my mission and that was the only thing that mattered…"

"I pity you…"

I heard from the sound of his voice that he said the truth but even his words couldn´t help me now. I remembered back all the Missions I accomplished in the last five years and I always was successful even if it was a hard one and now just right now on my last mission I had to fail. That really wasn´t fair at all, everything I did was for nothing. _All my hard work for nothing…_

After sitting there for a while Kabuto stood up and helped me back up. We walked to Orochimaru´s room and I was so nervous that I started sweating even though I knew what he would say.

When we entered the room Orochimaru was laying in his bed again and looked at me but the look in his eyes didn´t seem to be dissapointed at all.

" Well Sakuya you really did a good job."

I looked down to the ground.

"No I didn´t I totally failed! I wasn´t able to protect you or Kabuto so I did absolutely nothing!"

Tears were coming into my eyes as I now finally realized that I really was too weak just as Ame said. If I would´ve been stronger I could have beaten her and my Mission would have been successful.

"You didn´t totally fail since you protected me and Kabuto as good as you could. Beside that she is a Sannin and you´re still pretty young and inexperienced you did very well against her. I would say you were successful and you accomplished your mission in my eyes. What about you Kabuto?"

"Yes indeed she did very well."

"W- What? Does that mean you´ll confirm that I was successful?"

"Yes I will."

I just jumped on him and embraced him, I couldn´t resist I was too happy.

"Thank you Orochimaru-sama!"

He jerked a bit and also looked shocked but I thought that was just because of the fact that probably nobody ever embraced him. When I let go of him I also ran to Kabuto and hugged him even though I could say he would be angry at me after that but I was just too enthused at that moment. _I really did it!_

With a bright smile on my face I was now standing there and watched how Orochimaru signed my confirmation. That was the most awesome moment in my whole life. He gave it back to me and smirked.

"Say did you already choose a Village you want to protect?"

"No not really I just can´t decide…"

"I would like you to stay here and watch over Otogakure. How does this sound?"

I was a bit agape but also flattered because it meant that he must thought I was a good Ninja after all.

"Uhm well I don´t really know what to say…"

I looked beside me and tried to see what Kabuto thought about it but it had no use I couldn´t tell anything. _If I stay that would mean that he and me would share more time together I guess and I can´t imagine that this is okay with him…_

"Well you can think about it until tomorrow and then tell me your answer."

"Okay and would it be possible that I fortess the Village tomorrow before I decide? I would like to see if it really would need somebody like me."

"Sure and Kabuto can guide you if it´s okay with him."

"Sure I don´t mind."

"Good then take a rest now and we´ll see us tomorrow."

"Alright and thank you again Orochimaru-sama!"

"You´re welcome."

I left and went back into the room where I stayed the last time.

Kabuto´s P.O.V

"Kabuto are you alright if she stays?"

Orochimaru looked at me with an urgently look and I just shrugged.

"I don´t really mind…"

"Well but are you sure that your feelings for her won´t come back?"

"What do you mean? Which feelings?"

"The ones you once had for her."

"I´m sure they won´t."

"I´m not so sure about it…"

"Why?"

"Feelings you once felt for each other are always there and especially the Love you had for each other."

"Don´t worry we were children back then and also that was 10 years ago I am not in love with her nor will I ever be."

"If you say so I´ll believe you."

He raised his eyebrows while he said that and I knew he had doubts about what I said. I didn´t care I knew for myself that love was something I couldn´t feel anymore so there was no need to think about it.

After a while I left Orochimaru´s room and went to Sakuya´s just to tell her that dinner would be ready soon. When I entered her room she was laying on her bed and had a whole bunch of papers right before her.

"What is that?"

She was a bit terrified to see me.

"Oh just all my confirmations. I wanted to be sure that I didn´t forget anything."

She smiled at me and after I told her about dinner I wanted to leave.

"Hey Kabuto…"

"What?"

I turned around again.

"Would it be okay for you if I stay?"

She seemed to be a bit scared of my answer I could tell that from her expression.

"It´s fine."

"Really?"

Her expression changed and now she looked totally surprised.

"Really."

"Oh great! That means we will maybe work together more often now and we can hang out like back then!"

"Wait a second don´t get me wrong I never said we will become friends again."

"I don´t mind, I bet we will become friends again! I´m sure about it!"

She grinned and I sighed.

"Well believe whatever you want I don´t care."

_She really has a whole bunch of fantasy…_

**[ A/N: Review please! :)) ]**


	16. Kabuto s feelings awake

Kabuto´s P.O.V

The next day we went to the Village and I tried to avoid a conversation as good as I could. I didn´t really have a problem with it if she would stay but still, she was somebody I would´ve liked to forget about and that was now impossible especially when she was beside me.

As we walked through the streets suddenly a young girl jostled me and fell down to the ground.

"Hey mind what you´re doing!"

She looked scared up to me and started crying. That wasn´t my intention but it was not like I cared about children that much. Sakuya took the little girl up on her arms and started to calm her down.

"Don´t cry little one he didn´t mean it as he said it. Believe me he isn´t always so grumpy."

The girl looked at me but she still seemed to be scared of me. Sakuya stroked over her hair until the girl stopped crying and put her down to the ground.

"Is everything fine again?"

She smiled and the little girl also smiled lightly and nooded. Then she ran away and Sakuya looked at me with an annoyed look.

"You know I think it´s better if I go on alone."

"Tz Orochimaru-sama said I should guide you and I´ll do that."

All of a sudden she laid her hands on my belly and pushed be back until we reached a bench where she pressed me down and made me sit there.

"Listen I´ll go now and you´ll wait here for me until I come back understood?"

"Are you kidding me? Why should I wait here for you?"

She giggled and had now a provocative smirk on her face.

"Because I told you so."

She walked away and I just crossed my arms before my chest and couldn´t believe how she was talking to me. I also had to smirk a little bit since she always was so bossy since I knew her.

I was about to stand up and walk away but remaind sitting there. _What the hell is wrong with me? Just because she is a bit cheeky against me I´ll obey her orders? _

As I watched the people from the Village who were passing by I could understand why Orochimaru wanted her to stay. Otogakure was full with Criminals and that´s also why it had such a bad image.

A bit time passed and I was still waiting for her but the more time went by the more I became unpatient and pissed. _Where is she? What takes her so long?_

I shaked my head as I thought that I really must look like an Idiot how I was sitting there now since nearly 3 hours. Suddenly a black cat snuggled on my leg and looked up to me as if it wanted me to stroke it. I just tried to ignore her but she didn´t stop and then she jumped up on my lap.

"You won´t give up until I stroked you huh?"

The cat meowed and even though that wasn´t my thing I stroked her and she seemed to enjoy it. When I was younger I loved animals, every kind and I liked to cuddle with them but that was the past. Thinking about animals reminded me suddenly back to the time when Sakuya and I took care of Aoi´s egg. How we played Husband and Wife and how I always took it too serious. Now I couldn´t imagine marrying anybody that was just too absurd. But then I suddenly felt that my heart beated faster. It was just a little bit but unuasual for me. _Is that because I remembered the time when I was happy? When I was in Love? _

I shaked my head and concentrated on that cat again. _No you stop that immediately! You won´t think about your past anymore it will never be like before even if Sakuya is there now! Never…_

"Aww look Aoi isn´t that cute?"

I was terrified and looked up seeing Sakuya standing there with a broad grin. While I examined her I noticed that she was pretty dirty and looked a bit finished.

"Why do you look so done?"

"Well I helped some people with stuff. This Village really is something else I never saw so many Criminals on a pile…"

"Does that mean you won´t stay here?"

She smiled and crossed her arms behind her head.

"No that means I´ll definitelly stay and make this Village a saver place."

I took the cat down from my lap, to the ground and stood up.

"I guess Orochimaru-sama will be delighted that you decided to stay."

"If I´m honest I´m glad as well…"

She whispered that a little bit but I heard it anyways and I knew why she said it.

"Oh something else look I bought some stuff to make a cake for you and Orochimaru-sama to show you my thanks."

"That wasn´t necessary…"

"I think it was and now let´s go back home I have to take a shower."

As I watched her heading forward and having such a nice smile on her face I couldn´t resist but thinking that she became a beautiful young women. Then all of a sudden she stopped walking and waited for me to catch up with her.

"Come on don´t be so lame I don´t like it when you walk behind me."

She grabbed my hand but I immediately dragged it away.

"Fine I´ll go a bit faster…"

I was glad when we were back at the hideout and I haven´t had to be alone with her anymore. We went to Orochimaru´s room and she told him that she would really like to stay.

"That´s really good so that means now I can call you officially one of my servants."

"Well let´s say not officially since I first need the affirmation that I´m an acknowledged member of "The 9 Lights of the Shinobi World"…"

"How long will this take?"

"I don´t know but they´ll tell me as soon as it will be confirmed."

After that Sakuya went into her room to take a shower and I did the same. Then I sat down at my desk to do the paperwork I wasn´t able to do this morning. It was a whole bunch of stuff but I liked that much work. Especially when it brought me to other thoughts.

My hair was a bit annoying because it was still open instead of a ponytail but just because I was too lazy to do it.

I was fully concentrated on my work but all of a sudden my eyes became very heavy and I had to yawn. The tiredness overwhelmed me and my head sank down to the table. _Just a few minutes and then I´ll continue my work…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

"Hey Aoi do you think Kabuto likes us better now?"

I was on the way to Kabuto´s room to bring him a piece of cake and a cup of tea. When he was younger he always liked the Cherrycake from my sister and I made the same so he should probably like it. Except if his taste in food also changed.

Aoi was exceptionally crawling on the ground and just hissed as an answer to me but I took it as a yes. He loved Kabuto as much as he loved me but even he noticed that he had to be careful with him now. I hoped that one day he would be more normal again and that we can become friends then.

When I reachd his room I carefully knocked on the door but he gave me no reply so I just opened it and went in. What I saw there made me smile. A peacfully sleeping, lightly snorring Kabuto who just fell asleep while he was working on his desk.

I put the cake and the tea beside him and just watched him for a while. Memorys from the past came back as it was yesterday. _Yes that really was a beautiful day.._

It was summer back then and a very hot day. Kabuto and I were just laying in the shadow of the Cherryblossom tree when I suddenly heard him gently snorring. As I looked beside me and saw him sleeping I couldn´t resist and poked him in his cheek. He then made such an adorable noise I´ll never forget.

Just as now I did it again and he made the same noise again. I had to giggle but was immediately quiet since I didn´t want to wake him up. Before I went back out of his room I walked over to his bed and put up his blanke which I laid over him. _Sleep well Kabuto…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

I woke up because a sweet and deliciouse scent went up my nose. My eyes opened and I suddenly felt how something was laying on me. _What how did my blanket get over to me?_

Also on my desk was a piece of cake and tea. _Sakuya must have done that…_

I blushed when I thought that she really was caring about me. She even laid a blanket over me and if that wasn´t caring then I didn´t know what was. The cake was very good and I would´ve liked to eat some more.

So I went into the kitchen and cut me a piece of cake. Suddenly I heard how somebody entered the kitchen and turned around. Sakuya was standing there with a happy but also surprised expression.

"Did you like the cake?"

Her smile was so pretty that it made me feel good in somekind of way.

"Yes it tastes great."

"I´m glad."

I went back into my room before I maybe would say something wrong. _Okay now keep calm Kabuto everything is fine. Maybe your feelings for her have lightly come back but that doesn´t mean that you can´t hide them. She´ll never find out about it and so will Orochimaru-sama. No nobody except youself will ever know that…_

**[ A/N: Review please! :DD ]**


	17. Harder than thought

Kabuto´s P.O.V

As I woke up the next morning I still felt pretty tired. Because of those unfamiliar feelings I seemed to have for Sakuya I couldn´t sleep so well. All those years it was so easy for me to get rid of my feelings no matter in which situation I was but now it was nearly impossible. I couldn´t even say why but the feelings remaind.

I was starring to the ceiling for a while but then decided to get out of bed since I had to prepear breakfast. After dressing myself in my usual clothes I went to the kitchen not knowing what was awaiting me there after I went in.

"Good Morning!"

Sakuya was standing on the oven and cooked something. The bright smile on her face made me lightly blush but I hoped that she hadn´t seen it.

"Good Morning. What are you doing?"

I walked to her and looked over her shoulder. She was cooking some miso soup, rice, some fish and also a few pickled vegetables. A can of green tea was also standing there and I was surprised that she was so diligent even though that wasn´t one of her tasks.

"Do you want some eggs?"

She looked up to me and I nooded. Usually I had to do the breakfast but it was nice that somebody else did it this time since I still didn´t feel so awake. So I sat down at the table and was waiting for her until she was done.

"Oh I already brought Orochimaru-sama his breakfast so you don´t have to do it."

"Uhm well thanks but you really don´t have to do it…"

I still tried to sound as emotionless towards her as possible but it became harder and harder with every sentence I spoke. This feeling that I wanted to be nice and friendly towards her became stronger and I didn´t know how long I could resist until it happened.

We then were sitting there and ate our breakfast and I had to admit that she really had talent as a cook. The food was very delicious and I asked myself where she learned to cook like this.

After a while we were done and she stood up for making the dishes.

"Wait let me do that…"

I wanted to stand up but she pressed me down on my chair and shaked her head.

"It´s fine you have enough work on your own and I don´t really have anything better to do at the moment so there´s no problem for me doing those things…"

She smiled with her hands still laying on my shoulders. It made me nevous but also her touch didn´t feel bad at all so that I was lightly sad when she let go and continued with the work.

As the morning passed by and I took care of my paper work and of Orochimaru my thoughts were always distracted from Sakuya. This girl was now on my mind the whole day and it made me go crazy. _Why? Why now? Why did she have to come back and why does she have to work here now? My feelings are so idiotic…_

Later on I was sitting in the Laboratory to research some things I was interested in as suddenly somebody laid his arms from behind around me. I jerked and turned around just to see Sakuya who looked over my shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

She was still that close to me and I feard she could hear how my heart was beating faster and faster.

"Just some research… By the way what are you doing here?"

"Well I´ve been done with my patrol through the Village and I was bored so I thought I look what you´re doing…"

"As you can see I´m busy."

"With what?"

I felt her breath near my face and blushed.

"Some doctor stuff. You wouldn´t understand it anyways…"

She then sighed and let go of me. When I looked at her I noticed that she had a bandage on her arm which was lightly bloody.

"Did you get hurt?"

"Oh well it was nothing don´t worry about it."

Even though she smiled it seemed like she felt pain so I stood up to take care of it.

"Come with me I´ll take care of it the right way."

We reached my room and she sat down on the bed. First I had to see how serious the injury was so I took the bandage off and was a bit shocked.

"What the hell have you been doing?!"

The injury was deep and I had to sew it so I took some things out of my closet and started to do it.

"It was really nothing serious just some Criminals who tried to attack me after I wanted them to leave a Restaurant where they caused some trouble. At the end I was a bit careless and one of them tried to pierce through my arm."

"You really have to be more careful! The next time somebody pierces through your heart and then?"

She looked at me with wide eyes and suddenly smiled.

"Since when are you so worried about me?"

"Oh uhm I- uhm- you know i- it´s just because that would be a waste for Orochimaru-sama when you die…"

"I see…"

When I was done we stood up but before she went away she turned to me.

"You really are a good Doctor!"

"Thanks…"

It became evening and I was laying on my bed , reading a book about some things to know about the human body and his functions. The most things were stuff I already knew but I found it interesting at all. In my opinon you can never have enough knowledge.

I was recessed in my book but then somebody knocked on my door.

"Yes?"

That was something very unusual that somebody knocked on my door. Normally the guys who were here in the hideout didn´t want to have too much to do with me and Orochimaru wouldn´t come here now since he had to stay in bed.

Sakuya went in with a smirk on her face. I wondered what she wanted as she suddenly jumped on my bed. She was laughing as she sat up and looked at me while I was very confused.

"What was that for?"

"Just for fun I guess."

She then grabbed the book I was reading and also read a few lines.

"Damn you even do work in your freetime?"

"That´s not work…"

"Anyways when was the last time you did something funny?"

"Like?"

"I don´t know like uhm laughing about something ridiculous…"

"Don´t know…"

A light sigh came out of her mouth.

"Well if this book has nothing to do with your work then would you tell me what it is about?"

She looked curious at me with her bright brown eyes.

"I should explain the content of the whole book for you?"

"Yes why not?"

I somekind of knew why she wanted me to explain it to her. It wasn´t because she suddenly was interested in the human body but because she wanted to share time with me. My thoughts wandered back and forth since I wasn´t sure if that would be a good idea.

"Pleeeeeeeeease."

"Alright…"

As we sat beside each other and I tried to explain the things from the book as simple as I could I enjoyed her presence. It just felt good to have her beside me like it was in the past.

"So did you understand everything?"

From how she looked I thought she probably didn´t.

"Uhm well yea I guess…"

She blushed and was biting her lip. It must have been a bit embarsassing for her that she didn´t understand everything but since she never was interested in such stuff how should she know about it. Even though she was strong and had skills with fighting there existed things she wasn´t good at and learning something was definitely one of those things.

All of a sudden she was touching my hair and giggled.

"Your hair is so fluffy and smooth… I like it…"

Not knowing what I should respons to this I just said nothing. Her fingers slightly ran through my hair and I couldn´t say that I despised that. _Please don´t stop…_

As she was done she immediately became fire red and also I blushed.

"It´s pretty late already I guess I should go…"

She stood up and went into the direction of the door but turned around before she went out.

"Do you want to accompany me tomorrow when I go through the Village?"

Her hoped filled eyes made it hard for me to refuse and I said yes. A happy smile appeard on her face.

"Great! See you tomorrow and good night!"

"Good Night…"

When she was gone I let myself fall back on my pillow. _Was that the wrong decision?_

**[ A/N: Hey guys :) I hope you like it so far and it would be really great if you could give me some Reviews! Because if I don´t get any I assume that you don´t really like it and if that´s the case I´ll probably drop it. So please, please, please Review!] **


	18. Call me big Sister

Sakuya´s P.O.V

It had been now a few days since I lived with Kabuto and Orochimaru and honestly I really enjoyed it. I couldn´t understand why people feard Orochimaru so much. Not only that it was thanks to him that I now can become a member of "The 9 Lights of the Shinobi World" , he also gave me somekind of a new home. The last few years I didn´t have a real place to stay I was traveling for such a long time and now I had a place I could call my home.

But not only that made me happy there was also something else. Kabuto had been very nice to me lately or at least nicer than he was at the beginning. I didn´t really know why maybe because he had no other choice in one way but I had a good feeling with that. Even though he still tried to hold a distance to me I could see that it was hard for him to do that and I wished he would just say that he liked me. _It´s not like I would marry him when he says something like this…_

There was only one thing that made me a bit worried. Orochimaru had such a bad pain in his arms that he couldn´t endure it any longer. Kabuto told me that there would soon come somebody who´ll give him his body and I didn´t really get what that meant. _He wants the body of somebody? Like he will do things with him or what is that supposed to mean?_

When I asked Kabuto he had just a smirk on his face.

"You´ll see it soon enough."

"That´s mean…"

I sulked a little bit and nudged him in the side.

Two days later when I came back from my patrol in the Village I was a bit surprised. Orochimaru had been bandaged over his whole body and he looked a bit different than before.

"What happened?"

"Well somebody else had to give Orochimaru-sama his body."

I was speechless when I realized that "getting somebodys body" didn´t mean having Sex or whatever with that person but that it meant that he takes over the body of the person. That gave me a light sick feeling in my belly. _Somekind of disgusting_…

"I- If that wasn´t the right person then where is he or she?"

"He´s coming soon and he´ll be Orochimaru-sama´s next vessel."

"I see…"

While I thought that this person really had my condolence I also was thinking what kind of person that must have been. _I wonder if he knows that he´s going to be a vessel…_

Just a few hours later there arrived somebody and I followed Kabuto and Orochimaru to see who it was. As they opened the door I was lightly shocked when I saw that this boy was still a child. He looked like he had a hard fight since his clothes were destroyed and he also seemed to be weary. When he looked at me with his cold dark eyes it reminded me somehow of Souji. This look had Souji for a while before it became a bit more brighter and friendly but it never really vanished. Everytime when he was just sitting there and was lost in his thoughts his look became blunt and cold.

After a while I decided to introduce myself to him and went to the room where he would live from now on. Kabuto warned me because he said that this boy wasn´t a person who liked other people that much. When he said that I had to laugh since I thought that he wasn´t that different. It was not like Orochimaru said the same thing about him when I first arrived here and I could handle him so there wouldn´t be a problem with this boy.

So I knocked on the door and he asked me with an annoyed voice to come in. I smiled at him but he had still the same face as when he arrived.

"Hey there my name is Sakuya nice to meet you! What is your name?"

From his expression I could tell that he seemed to be a bit surprised.

"I´m Sasuke…"

I sat down on his bed beside him and he now had a pretty annoyed look.

"What do you want?"

"I just came to tell you that if you need somebody to talk I´m there for you."

"Huh?"

"Well let´s say I´ll be like a big Sister for you…"

Aoi crawled to him but Sasuke pushed him unfriendly away.

"Listen I don´t need anything like a big Sister! I don´t need anybody get it!?"

"You know my younger brother once said the same…"

I sighed as I remembered back the first day when Souji came to us. It was raining outside and Haruhi came back with a young weakend boy. The look in his eyes was as cold as ice and he had bruises on his arms like somebody violated him. The first thing that came to my mind when I saw him was that I wanted to protect this little helpless boy.

A few days passed and Ame, Haruhi and I tried everything to make him feel a bit more confortable but nothing changed. He sat in a corner, embraced his knees and ignored us. One day I couldn´t stand his insensibility anymore and sat down beside him. When I laid my hand on his head he jerked and started shivering as if he thought I wanted to hurt him. I just stroked his blue hair for a while until he stopped shivering.

"Don´t worry little one you´re save here nobody will hurt you…"

He looked up to me and I smiled but immediately he continued starring on the floor.

"You know if there´s anything that bothers you or you need help you can come to me alright?"

His golden brown eyes glanced at me as suddenly he said something with an angry voice.

"I don´t need anybody of you! I didn´t ask this women to save me! Why can´t you just leave me alone?!"

That was a surprise for me when he reacted like that but I wouldn´t give up.

"Everybody needs somebody even if you think you don´t. Nobody likes to be alone and lonely…"

"I do…"

The sadness in his voice nearly broke my heart as I suddenly embraced him tightly. He tried to free himself but I was stronger.

"I promise that I´ll protect you and always be there for you. If anybody trys to hurt you I´ll punish him and I´ll make sure that you´ll never have to suffer again…"

He started crying and whimpert.

"Why? Why would you do that for me?"

"Because from now on I´ll be your big Sister."

With tears running down his face he looked up to me and I smiled.

"S- Sister?"

"Yes you can call me Sister…"

Then he snuggled on me and from that day on he was really calling me Sister.

While I thought about the past I didn´t notice Kabuto coming in the room and calling us for dinner. We then were sitting at the table all together Orochimaru, Sasuke, Kabuto and me. Aoi was also on the floor and ate a bowl of rice.

"Kabuto the food tastes really delicious!"

He blushed a little bit and scrached his head.

"Oh thank you…"

"I think it tastes like nothing."

Sasuke pushed his bowl to the side and looked provocative at Kabuto. It was obvious that he didn´t like him but Kabuto tried his best to be as polite to him as possible.

"And also when do we start training Orochimaru? I want to start as soon as possible."

The insolent sound of his voice made me angry but I tried to keep calm.

"Oh and also why is this creepy snake under the table? That´s pretty disgusting…"

I looked down to Aoi and his expression seemed sad. Now it was enough for me and I stood up while Kabuto and Orochimaru got wide eyes. I turned Sasuke´s chair into my direction, kneeled down infront of him and pinched his cheeks with my fingers.

"Listen carefully you spoiled, sassy brat I´ll only say this once. Stop being disrespectful to other people and especially to older people! Also stop calling Aoi a disgusting snake he is MY comarade! So be a nice boy now or you´ll get to know me!"

Orochimaru and Kabuto looked shocked at me but I didn´t mind. Sasuke had wide eyes and seemed shocked, surprised and confused at once. He just nooded and I let go of him.

"Fine and now eat your food."

Surprisingly he did what I said and I was proud of me. _Well sometimes you just have to scold a bit and everything is fine…_


	19. Bad News

Sakuya´s P.O.V

A few weeks passed and I felt more and more like home at the Hideout. Sasuke had really been a nice boy since I scolded at him but I believed that this was just the case when I was around. Orochimaru seemed to be pleased with my work since he often said that he was glad to have somebody like me. The work also was somekind of fun for me since I always liked to show the bad boys their place. Everything was just perfect for me and even Kabuto was now way more relaxed when I was around. He accompanied me now more often when I went to the patrol in the Village so I thought that meant he finally was able to show me that he liked me. _Yes life can be so nice sometimes…_

One day I wanted to take a bath but sadly my bathtube was defect so I went to Orochimaru´s room and asked if there was another one.

"Well the only rooms who have a bathtube in their bathroom are yours, mine, Sasuke´s and Kabuto´s…"

Since I didn´t want to ask if I could use Orochimaru´s bathtube I asked him if neither Kabuto or Sasuke had been on a mission so that I could sneek in there and take a bath.

"Well Kabuto is on a Mission and I don´t believe he will be back very soon."

"Alright thank you!"

So I went into Kabuto´s room and undressed me. It was a strange feeling since I feard he could come in every second and I could bet he would be angry then because I was in his room without his permission. Leaving my worrys behind I prepeard the bath and sat in there. I enjoyed the hot water on my skin and closed my eyes. _Hmmmm…_

Kabuto´s P.O.VAhhh I´m so done today…

I came back from my mission and wanted nothing more than taking a shower or maybe even a little bath. Stealing things was not always as easy as everybody thought even if I did this now since years. Sometimes I had to fight and today was one of those days. It wasn´t that hard to win but still hard enough to make me fell tired and weary.

As I went into my room I immediately undressed me and just slung my clothes to the ground. That wasn´t usual for me, normally I was a very tidy person but today I didn´t really care. So I opened the door of my bathroom and got the shock of my life.

"Ahhhhhhhhh! What are you doing here?"

Sakuya was sitting in the bathtube and holding her hands infront of her boobs. Her mouth was standing open and she became red like a tomato as she was starring at my naked body. I also had been blushed like hell and walked back but thrusted my head on the door.

"I- I c-c-can-"

This whole situation made me speechless while I couldn´t stop looking at her. It was embarassing for her and she dived down in the bathtube. I went out into my room and had to keep calm. _Oh my goodness!_

After a while she came out with a towle wrapped around her and also I was wearing now at least some shorts. It was obvious that she wasn´t able to look me in the eyes now but I wanted to know why she was in my bathroom.

"W- Well my bathtube is defect and Orochimaru-sama said you were on a mission so I thought I could take a bath here…"

She was still blushed and holding tight on her towel. _If I´m honest I would like to rip that towel off her…_

"Why are you starring at me like this?"

I didn´t notice that I did that and blushed.

"Sorry…"

Then she picked up her clothes from the floor which I didn´t notice when I came in but before she could go suddenly somebody came into the room.

"Kabuto I-"

It was Orochimaru and I knew what he thought what we were doing here. She was wearing nothing but a towel, I had just some pants on and our clothes were laying on the floor. _Oh no why…_

"Oh I´m sorry you two I didn´t want to interrupt you…"

A smirk appeard on his face as he looked from me to Sakuya. When he left she also left immediatelly without saying something and I was sitting there with a little problem. _Thinking of her and me having Sex makes me go crazy damn it…_

Later on I went into Orochimaru´s room to clarify that misconception.

"Orochimaru-sama it was not what it looked like! We didn´t do anything!"

He chuckled and looked at me with an amused look.

"I know that you didn´t do anything but I wouldn´t wonder if something like this really would happen one day."

I blushed a bit.

"W- What is that supposed to mean?"

"You like her it´s so obvious and she likes you too."

"No uhm I mean it´s not like that…"

"You don´t have to lie to me don´t worry. I have been watching you two lately and since this stuff doesn´t deflect you or her from your work I don´t really mind what you two are doing in your freetime."

When I went out of the room and closed the door I leand against the wall and sighed. _Now he knows about it great…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

_How embarassing!_

My face was pressed against my pillow while I tried to get the picture of Kabuto´s naked body out of my mind. That was the first time I saw a man like this and the most awful thing was that I didn´t dislike it. _He really has a beautiful body with this muscles and some other things didn´t dissapoint me as well…_

Aoi was laying on my back and I was glad that he couldn´t understand what was going on. At least one person or let´s say Snake wouldn´t know about it. _Now that I thought everything is fine between me and Kabuto there has to happen such a thing… Damn!_

All of a sudden somebody knocked on my door and Kabuto came in with his cheeks still lightly pink.

"What do you want?"

I looked up to him.

"Uhm just telling you that I´m sorry… It wasn´t my intention to uh-"

It seemed like he didn´t know what to say anymore but I knew what he meant.

"It´s fine and I´m sorry that I was in your room without your permisson…"

His eyes slightly examined me while I somekind of enjoyed it. When his dark eyes looked at me I always got an unusual feeling inside of me but I didn´t dislike it, on the contary. _Why can´t you just come here and kiss me?_

The next morning we were all sitting at the Breakfast table and Kabuto read the newspaper. I also read the part of it where the new Criminals were listed on who had been cought. Suddenly my cup was falling to the ground and shattered in thousand pieces when I read something what gave me a little heart attack.

"Hey Sakuya wha-"

Kabuto looked at me but must have noticed my distraught expression.

"A- Ame…"

"What is with him?"

"He was cought and sentenced to death…"

Everybody on the table looked a bit shocked but especially Kabuto had now a light worried look in his eyes.

"What? How and why?"

"I don´t know… There´s just written that because of the crimes he has committed he will be executed…"

"When?"

"In four days…"


	20. Doubts

Sakuya´s P.O.V

"But I have to go! Why don´t you get it?!"

Kabuto was looking at me with an urgentle look since he wanted to convince me not to go and trying to save Ame. In his eyes it was a waste since I never would be successful by breaking into a prison and then breaking out again. For him it was ridiculous and he was sure I would fail.

"Sakuya if you go then you´ll definitelly get cought and then? What about your obligations?"

"At the moment this is unnecessary! My Brother is going to die and I should just sit here and let it happen? Never! I won´t lose anybody close to me ever again!"

I pushed him out of the way and went to Orochimaru´s room since I needed his permission to go. _At least he should understand my misery…_

When I went in he was sitting at his desk and read a scroll. He looked up to me and seemed to know why I was there.

"Orochimaru-sama please let me go and rescue my Brother! I beg you!"

His snake like eyes were starring at me for a while until he sighed.

"Fine you can go even though it would be a waste if you got cought but I guess even if I say no you would go anyways…"

This reaction surprised me a little and Kabuto, who came into the room as well, started to protest.

"Orochimaru-sama her plan is idiotic! She doesn´t even know how she should get into there and also how should she escape afterwards? It just makes no sense at all!"

"Kabuto it´s her own decision and if she is determined to go then nobody can stop her, I assume."

As Orochimaru and Kabuto were looking each other in the eyes it seemed like they would communicate through mind reading. After a while Orochimaru raised a brow and looked concentrated at Kabuto.

"If you think it´such a bad idea for her to go alone then why don´t you accompany her? After all you are a geniuse when it comes to break into something and also breaking out never was a big deal for you. Beside that you´re also a Medic-nin who could heal her when she gets injured. If that´s what you want I won´t hold you back but my only condition is that both of you come back alive."

Kabuto´s mouth lightly opened but before he could say something I interrupted him.

"No I don´t want him to come with me!"

My only thought was that if he would come with me then he would be in bigger danger than me. After all he was a criminal and I wasn´t.

Orochimaru looked now back and forth between me and Kabuto and waited for him to give a response as well.

"I will accompany her if it is really okay with you Orochimaru-sama but what if you need me during that time for errands or medical treatment?"

"Don´t worry I can surely take care of myself and the errands can be handled by Sasuke as well."

Even though I wanted to discuss about the fact that Kabuto would really accompany me I decided not to do it since the time urged. We only would have 3 days left until Ame´s execution and we needed at least one day to arrive at the prison near Konohagakure.

I then just went out of the room and into mine to pack some things. At least I would need some Kunai, Shuriken and I also took my black Cloak just for the case I would need it. When I came out of my room Kabuto was leaning on the wall and seemed to wait for me. I just gave him an annoyed and angry glance but he didn´t care and followed me out of the Hideout.

The sun was shining and it was pretty warm even though it was already Autumn. We jumped through the trees with a pretty high speed and nearly reached the prison during night time. Kabuto suddenly stopped and I turned around.

"What is it? We´re almost there so come on!"

"You should at least sleep for a few hours. When you´re not at your best I can´t imagine that you even can stand a chance against anybody in there."

"I´m not going to sleep now what do you think?! Ame needs me a-"

He was suddenly standing just a few inches away from me and gave me a pissed off but also lightly worried look.

"I won´t let you go in there if I haven´t seen you resting for a bit! You haven´t slept last night and we were hasting here with full speed so don´t tell me you don´t feel tired!"

His voice had a dominant sound which was unusual for him since it was most of the time me who ordered people around. In one thing he was right I really felt tired but I didn´t believe that I was able to sleep now.

"Kabuto I-"

"No! No excusses you will sleep and if I have to knock you out myself!"

"Pfff…"

I jumped down the tree and leand against the straim where I let myself carfully sliding down. Aoi ,who came with me even though I told him not to, placed himself beside me. Kabuto also jumped down and sat down at the tree straim infront of me.

"Now sleep for a while. When the sun rises we can go on again…"

He leand his head against the straim and closed his eyes. Aoi also fell asleep but I just couldn´t. After a while of just sitting there and embracing my knees I stood up. I just had to be a little bit alone and think about the things that might happen.

Quietly I jumped up on the highest tree and sat down on a branch from which I could overlook the suroundings. The moon was shining brightly and also the stars on the darkblue nightsky made the picture perfect. If I wouldn´t have had such a big problem at the moment I could have enjoyed it but I just looked into the distance and tried to get my mind a bit clearer.

Suddenly I heard somebody behind me clearing his throat and turned around.

"I thought I told you to sleep."

Kabuto looked very pissed as he was leaning against the tree with his arms crossed infront of his chest. I just turned around and ignored him. _He doesn´t have the right to order me around anyways…_

A light sigh came from his direction.

"I know it´s hard for you but it will neither help Ame or you if you lose because of your lack of sleep…"

"What do you know huh? It´s not like you made it even harder for me when you said you would accompany me and now you´re just ordering me around! Do you think that really helps me?"

My voice sounded lightly raged and even though I didn´t want to yell at him I did.

"I don´t see the problem by coming with you."

I turned around to him and he had his brows raised as he looked at me with a lightly confused look.

"My problem with it is that now I not only have to worry about Ame but also about you!"

With a surprised look he starred at me for a moment.

"You´re worried about me?"

"Of course I am you Idiot!"

He then walked over to me and sat down beside me. I just turned my back on him since I didn´t want to talk with him any longer. We were sitting there for a while in silence until he said something.

"After all those years you still care about me that much… Why?"

When I turned around and his dark eyes had a soft look inside my heart pounded faster all of a sudden.

"You´re my Friend after all…"

I said but deep inside I knew that my feelings for him were deeper than for a friend. Those feelings I never were able to talk about because I feard to get rejected by him. Those feelings I couldn´t imagine he had for me.

"How can you still call me your friend after all what I have done? I became a Criminal, I killed people, I treated you bad and after all you see me as a friend of yours?"

From the look in his eyes I could tell that this question must have costed him a lot of braveness.

"Yes even after all those things…"

My response seemed to surprise him as he suddenly smiled.

"Then as your friend let me tell you that I´m not as weak as you think. I´m not the person I used to be and I became pretty strong myself. So don´t worry about me…"

The smile disappeard again and I didn´t know what to say anymore. It wasn´t because of what he said but my emotions were just overwhelming at that moment. My worries and fear about Ame and then those heart warming feelings I had towards Kabuto. I maybe was an emotional person but I didn´t like to show people my weak points. _No I never did that…_

Then all of a sudden Kabuto chuckled a little bit.

"Since I know you, you were always trying to hide you negative feelings didn´t you? Just as you do it now…"

He slightly touched my arm and a light shiver went trough my whole body. _Is he able to read my mind?_

I sighed.

"You know I wish I could be like you said…"

"What do you mean?"

"Emotionless… You said if I don´t get rid of my feelings then I´ll never be a good Shinobi and I guess you´re right. My fear is taking contol over me and what if I´m not able to save him? What if I fail because I´m too weak? My feelings are always standing in my way…"

"Do you remember that day when those Criminials were chasing after us?"

"Yes how could I forget that…"

It was 11 years ago and Kabuto and I were walking through the woods with Aoi as suddenly there appeard two men infront of us. From their headbands we could assume that they were Missing-nin since the symbol on there was crossed out. One of them then had a terrible smirk on his face and stated that he will take us with them and sell us as slaves. We then were running away as fast as we could until we reached a mound were we tried to climb on. It wasn´t a problem for me to get on top but Kabuto wasn´t a very athletic person so it wasn´t easy for him as suddenly one of the man grabbed his ankle and tried to pull him down.

"S- Sakuya help me!"

"Kabuto!"

I grabbed his hand and Aoi wrapped his tail around his wrist. We tried to drag him up but we were too weak and his hand slided through mine.

"Hel-"

Kabuto tried to scream again but one of the men was holding his hand infront of his mouth. At this moment I became despaired but all of a sudden the only thing I could think of was saving him. I jumped down kicking against the shin of the man who was holding tight on Kabuto and Aoi who was biting that men´s arm until he was letting go of him. Then I dragged Kabuto behind my back and made handsigns to use the Fire release technique of my brother. Until that day it never worked right but the determination to save Kabuto must have gave me enough power to spit out even more fire than Ame was able to use.

The two men then were so deflected from the Fire so that Kabuto, Aoi and I were able to escape.

"Sakuya even though I said it´s better to get rid of your feelings I don´t believe that this counts for you. Maybe your feelings are the reason why you´re able to protect people and why you´re so strong…"

I still had doubts even though he maybe was right but I just sighed. What he then said was something I´ll never forget.

"You´re one of the Strongest persons I know but not only when it comes to fighting. The fact that you always protected me and saved me even if your own life was in danger impressed me ever since. Also your strong will and your determination were things I really appreciated on you. What I want to tell you is that I believe your feelings and the will to protect your family and friends make you strong enough to do even the most impossible things. That´s why I believe you´re able to save Ame…"

I just couldn´t believe what he said to me. _Is he serious?_

"K- Kabuto I-"

Just speechless I looked at him and he gave me a light smile. We then jumped down from the tree and after those words of his I was finally able to find some sleep. _Thank you Kabuto…_

As I woke up the next morning I felt that something was laying on me. It was a black cloak and I thought it was the one from Kabuto. He was still sleeping and I carefully shaked him to wake him up.

"Thank you…"

That was the only thing I said to him and I smiled.

"You´re welcome…"

Before we went to the prison we first had to make a plan how to get into there. There would be a lot of security guards and we had to go past them before we could find Ame but also they had to open us the door before we could do so.

"I have an idea!"

Kabuto whispered me something in my ear and I became enthused.

"Yes that´s a brilliant plan!"


	21. How to break into a Prison

Sakuya´s P.O.V

"Are you sure this will work?"

"Yes just keep calm and play your role…"

Kabuto had his black cloak with the hood on so that people wouldn´t recognize his face at first. His plan seemed pretty easy, we would go to the front gate and I would tell them that I cought a dangerous Criminal. When they wanted to know who it is I would say it´s Orochimaru´s right hand man and show them Kabuto´s face. After that we assume that they´ll open the door and then Kabuto would knock them out with some poisoned needles and we could go in there.

So we went to the door and I knocked on it. Then there opened a little slit where two eyes were looking out.

"Who is there?"

"I´m Sakuya Higurashi and I wanted to imprison this Criminal here!"

I pushed Kabuto a little bit so that he tripped a bit further.

"And who is that so called Criminal? This is only a Prison for Criminal´s that were sentenced to death."

"Oh well I assume that he deseves it, believe me."

I ripped the hood down from Kabuto´s head.

"This is Orochimaru´s right hand man Kabuto Yakushi."

The man behind the door examined Kabuto for a while.

"Fine I´ll open the door and you´ll give him in our hands then. Good job by the way."

"Thank you!"

He opened the door slowely and just five more guards were standing there so Kabuto would have an easy game. Everything went as planned and we went in there without any problems. Kabuto had a light smirk on his face.

"You believe I deserve death?"

I giggled.

"Sure I guess I´ll leave you here after we found Ame."

We then were running through a long hallway until we reached the cells of the Criminals. I was agape when I saw how large that prison was.

"How many floors do you think are there?"

"I´m not sure maybe 5 or 6…"

"Then let´s hurry before they find out that we´re here!"

Since we knew now how large it was we decided to ask the other prisoners where they would bring somebody who would be executed in the next few days.

"Hey you two how did you get out of your cells?! Please open the door!"

"First tell us where they bring those people at and then we can talk about it."

"Fine I´m not sure but from the rumors I heard were those people on the last floor. It´s also called the floor of Death if you know what I mean…"

"Good thank you and we´ll let you out as soon as we come back."

Kabuto and I were running further but I got an uneasy feeling. _Maybe it´s just my nervousness…_

We nearly reached the third floor as suddenly somebody was standing in our way. A big man with turquoise hair and an arrogant look examined us.

"Well I have seen a lot in my career as Watchdog of this prison but I never saw that somebody came in here at his free will."

As he raised his brows I pushed Kabuto back.

"You take Aoi and try to find Ame! I´ll take care of him!"

"No I won´t leave you alone!"

"You will!"

My glance showed him that I was serious and he nooded. Aoi went from me to Kabuto and wrapped himself around his waist. Then I spit some fire at the man standing infront of me so that Kabuto and Aoi could go further. After they went through him I prepeard myself to fight this guy and beat him as fast as I could. _Don´t worry Ame I´ll definitelly save you!_

"You must be pretty brave or just dumb to fight me on your own girl. Don´t you know who I am?"

"No."

"My name is Tomera Yukimura and I´m also known as the Man made of Ice."

He smirked at me but I didn´t want to waste any time and attacked him. When I tried to kick him he dodged easily and also when I tried to get him with my fire he didn´t have any problems to evade it. _Damn that guy is good…_

Suddenly he started laughing and made handsigns.

"Well now let me show you some of my power."

He took a deep breath and spit sharp icicle at me. First I was able to dodge but he fired them at me with such a high speed that some of them hit me. My arms then were full with scratches who started bleeding and I became a bit tired. Dodging him with my full speed and also trying to melt his Jutsu down with my fire costed me more Chakra than I thought. _If I have to do it any longer I´ll run out of Chakra and then I won´t be able to save Ame… Damn it!_

I decided to attack him with my full strength and knock him out. That was my last hope if I couldn´t do that then it was over with me. So I ran to him and tried to land a hit on him but he easily holded me back with his hand. I jumped back knowing that I wasted my last bit of Chakra but suddenly I felt strange inside of me. _What is that?_

As I looked at Tomera he was just standing there with a bad smirk and I knew he must have done something. _But what? And when did he do that?_

My limbs felt heavy and I fell down to the ground. Unable to move there was then a cold feeling inside of me. _No what is happening?! I can´t fail! Not now!_

"You were really easy to defeat you little scum. My Jutsu will freeze you from the inside and you´ll die slowly and maybe even painfully."

Despair overwhelmed me and I didn´t know what I could do. I felt numb and my eyes became heavier every second. My blood felt so cold and breathing became hard as well. I knew I would become unconscious every minute so I just prayed for something in my last thoughts. _Please Kabuto save Ame! Please make that you and him can escape! I´m so sorry that I was too weak to do anything by myself…_

Then I fainted.


	22. Dilemma

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Damn…

Because of a bad feeling inside of me I watched the fight between Sakuya and that guy from the distance. She became unconscious and they brought her into a cell. I went there and break into the lock.

"Sakuya?"

When I walked in there I was surprised how large this cell was. _Are there maybe more prisonors inside of this cell?_

"Aoi where is she?"

He wanted to show me but then suddenly a very deep but also soft voice spoke to me.

"Are you looking for this girl?"

From the shadows appeard a huge man with a white beard.

"Yes I´m looking for her! Where is she?"

The men pointed into the corner of the cell where some more people were standing around something. As I walked closer I saw that they were looking at Sakuya and I asked myself what so interesting was about her. I reached her and kneeled down infront of her.

"Hey Sakuya wake up we have to save Ame did you forget that?"

When I touched her I had to drag my hand immediately away. Her skin was as cold as ice. _W- What is that? Why is she so cold like she is…_

"Young men it hurts me to say this but your friend is already-"

"No!"

I started using my medical ninjutsu even though I didn´t really know what I was healing. Her heartbeat became so weak that I wasn´t able to hear it and also her respiration was so weak that I feard she would stop breathing every moment. _Don´t die! __Please don´t die!_

"Sakuya!"

Panic spread through me and then she stopped breathing. _No I won´t let you die!_

I opened her mouth a little bit and started using CPR on her. _Come on breath! Breath!_

Her lips were so cold and she didn´t show any reaction. _Don´t leave me Sakuya…_

"Young man it has no use. The Jutsu he used on her causes that everything inside of her freezes that also includes her inner organs. It was a wonder that she didn´t die right after he did it but there exists no way to save her."

"There must be a way!"

I wouldn´t give up on her so easily. Her words from last night came back into my mind. She said I was still her friend even after all the things I have done so I won´t let the only person who still sees me as a friend die. _Wait I have an idea…_

"Is here a Fire style user?"

They just watched at each other and then looked confused at me.

"Why do you ask?"

"If I can melt the ice inside of her she will live but I myself can´t use any fire release techniques so please if anybody in here is able to use them help me!"

An old women walked out of the crowd and kneeled down beside me.

"But you first have to free me from those shackles."

"Fine."

After I freed her she asked me what she had to do.

"I´ll concentrate my medical ninjutsu on her and you´ll spit your fire at my hands. Then I should be able to melt the ice."

"Alright…"

I concentrated my whole Chakra on Sakuya and nooded to the women that she should start now. The fire reached my hands and the pain I felt was nearly unbearable. _M- my hands they´re burning… No I have to be fully concentrated now or Sakuya will die!_

My plan worked well as I included the fire in my healing jutsu but it caused a lot of damage on my hands. _Just a bit longer…_

After a while Sakuya wasn´t so pale anymore and I could see that she started breathing again. _Thanks god!_

"Your hands…"

When I was done the old women looked at my burned hands. Even though the pain nearly killed me I lightly smiled.

"I- It´s fine…"

But it wasn´t fine. My chakra had nearly reached it´s limit and so I wasn´t able to heal my hands or at least not as fast as I normally could. _I´m just glad that she is okay…_

Sakuya´s P.O.VW- What happened? Am I dead?

My eyes felt heavy but I was able to open them. _No I´m still alive… but how?_

I still wasn´t able to move so I just looked around and then I saw Kabuto sitting infront of me. He was breathing hard and his hands were covered with Chakra. _What happened? Did he get hurt?_

"Kabuto…"

When he heard my Voice he looked down to me and smiled but he was running with sweat and he seemed to be tired. I saw it on his eyes who were blinking like he wasn´t able to hold them open any longer

"S- Sakuya are you okay?"

"Yes I´m fine and you?"

He just nooded as suddenly a huge man appeard behind him. First I feard it was the man who freezed me but then I was relieved when I saw that it wasn´t him.

"You really are a lucky girl to have a friend like him."

His finger pointed at Kabuto and I realized that he must have saved me.

"Thank you Kabuto. Without you I would be dead now."

"N-"

But he couldn´t speak anymore as he suddenly had a painful expression on his face. He seemed to be badly injured but I didn´t know why.

"Old men could you please tell me what happened to him?"

"Well in order to save you he had to use fire to melt the ice but it seems like it had the side effect that his hands were burned down."

Oh no he had to hurt himself just to help me…

I was still unable to move but then Kabuto turned his head to the old men.

"M- My pocket…"

The men then grabbed into Kabuto´s pocket and showed him a pill. Kabuto pointed with his head at me.

"Gulp…"

"I shall gulp this pill?"

He nooded and the bearded men gave me the pill. After a while I was finally able to move again and sat up.

"How long was I knocked out?"

"Maybe one day or longer I´m not sure…"

An older women with curly grey hair said to me. I turned to Kabuto who seemed still pretty done even though his hands looked better now.

"I think it´s better when I go on alone and come back after I found Ame."

He then shaked his head.

"No I´ll come with you give me just a moment…"

Then he seemed to be very concentrated and closed his eyes. The sweat dissappeard from his forehead and he stood up.

"Okay I´m ready let´s go."

"Are you really sure?"

I looked at him with a worried look but he just grabbed my hand and dragged me with him.

"It´s fine I´m okay."

Aoi was wrapped around my waist again and pressed me a bit too tight. I assumed that this was just beacause he was worried about me as well and was glad that I was okay again.

"Thank you guys for your help! I´ll leave the door open so you can escape if you want to."

"Thank you young man and good luck!"

We then started running but I still had an uneasy feeling about Kabuto. _I hope he won´t collapse…_

Ame´s P.O.V

"Tell us immediately where you´re hiding it!"

Four men were standing infront of me and yelled that I should tell them where I hide the scroll with the forbidden Jutsu I stole. They imprisoned me because of that and threatened me that if I won´t tell them where it was they would kill me. I didn´t fear them and especially not because I knew they couldn´t kill me without a reason. I had a smirk on my face and shaked my head.

"I won´t tell you where it is."

"Then you shall die…"

They went out of the cell and left me alone. _Damn what if they really kill me? _

"You really should tell them what they want to know…"

"Junichi…"

My good friend Junichi was standing on the outside of the cell and looked at me with an urgentle look. He was a guard in this prison but even though I was a thief he was also my friend.

"You´re sentenced to death and they´ll execute you if you don´t speak!"

"Tz I didn´t do anything wrong…"

"You stole that scroll! Why don´t you just tell them where it is?"

"Because it´s a present…"

"For who?"

"My dear Sister… I want to help her by becoming stronger and with that Jutsu she will."

"I bet if your Sister would know that then she would prefer being weak instead of letting you die!"

"Yes she would but that doesn´t matter anymore…"

"Ame! You´re my friend and I don´t want you to die! Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

I started laughing.

"I was always like that and you know it. Could I ask you for a favor?"

"What?"

"I want you to tell my Sister where she can find that scroll but you have to promise me that if I tell you the location of it that you won´t tell it those Bastards because I assume they will kill me if I tell them or not…"

His look was filled with doubts and anger but then he nooded.

"Fine I´ll do that for you…"

I smiled.

"Thank you…"


	23. Another Sibling shows up

Sakuya´s P.O.V

Kabuto and I had reached now the 4th floor and I wondered what kind of pill that was that I had gulped. My limbs felt so light and it was easy for me to move them. So I asked Kabuto about it.

"Well it restrained your pain but that´ll only hold for three hours and you shouldn´t cause any more damage to your body in that time."

"Oh well I´ll try it…"

_But what if I have to fight again? How can I be sure that I won´t get injured?_

Even though I was worried about myself I was more worried about Kabuto at the moment and I also wondered what he did to himself.

"Say Kabuto how is it possible that you´re so fit now? You looked so done…"

"That´s my little secret…"

He winked but still I didn´t feel good. I just couldn´t believe that he was fine again just like that. _He is a medic-nin I know that but even he has a limit or not? And if he used so much Chakra to save my life and then again to heal his hands how much does he have left? _

Suddenly we had to stop because there appeard some guards with a prisonor. When they saw us they stopped also and the prisonor looked me now in the eyes. _No wait this can´t be…_

"Souji?"

He now had a light surprised expression but I recognized him because of the blue hair and his eyes. _Yes it has to be him!_

"Sister?"

Kabuto immediately knocked them out and I was again surprised that he could move so easily like that. _I really wonder…_

Then I ran to Souji and embraced him tightly. He really became a young man and he didn´t look like my little brother anymore. Now he was taller than me and I guess it seemed more like I was his little Sister.

"What are you doing here?"

I asked after we freed him from those shakles.

"Well it is possible that I did a few things I shouldn´t have done but this is not worth talking about…"

"I see…"

Suddenly he seemed to recognize Kabuto and got a strange expression on his face.

"Are you Kabuto?"

"Yes."

The look in his eyes seemed all of a sudden angry but I couldn´t really tell why.

"Sister what is he doing here with you?"

"He´s helping me by rescuing Ame…."

"Ame?"

"Yes he was sentenced to death and we´re here to save him."

"Oh I see… well of course I´ll help you but before we do that I want Kabuto to do something I can´t imagine he has done by now."

"And what would that be?"

Kabuto looked a bit confused at Ame who was holding eye contact with him.

"I want you to apologize to my Sister!"

"What?!"

My mouth was standing open because it surprised and confused me at once. _Why should he apologize?_

"For what should I apologize?"

"Because you left her alone when she needed you the most!"

Both me and Kabuto were shocked or at least I guessed he looked like that. I was shocked because I couldn´t believe what I heard. _Please Souji don´t say anything else…_

"I don´t really get what that is supposed to mean…"

"First you broke her heart by leaving her and then you promised her you´d come back but you never did that. She really could have needed you during that time when our Sister died!"

"I- I broke your heart?"

Kabuto looked down to me with a confused expression but I just shaked my head.

"No no no you never broke my heart!"

"He did Sister why do you lie? You even c-"

I laid my hand over Souji´s mouth and glanced at him.

"Don´t say anything else!"

"I´m sorry…"

Surprised I turned around to Kabuto who had a sorrowful look.

"You really don´t have any reason to apologize. I never was mad or something because I knew you had no other choice than going…"

"But I never wanted to hurt you…"

"You didn´t."

I smiled even though Souji was right. Of course I was heartbroken when he went away since I loved him but he should never know about it or he could think that I was weak. _No I don´t want him to think that I´m weak! He always admired my strenght and that shouldn´t change!_

"Anyways we can talk after we saved Ame so let´s go!"

Souji and Kabuto gave me a light glance like both didn´t believe what I said but I didn´t care and started running further. They followed me and we reached the 5th floor after a while. _Okay it can´t be so far anymore. Ame we´re coming!_

"Don´t go any further!"

Somebody was standing in our way again but it was just one man. He had brown long hair which he wore as a ponytail and he was dressed like the other guards in the prison. _But only one of them isn´t a real match..._

"Who are you?"

He examined us but Kabuto prepeard to attack like the last times with his poisoned needles but the men then drew a sword and turned them all away. Then he hit Kabuto in his belly with the back of his sword making him fall aginst the wall.

"Kabuto!"

"I´m fine…"

The men turned to me and Souji and asked again who we were.

"That´s non of your business! Let us go we have no intentions to fight you!"

"So then why are you here? You must be the ones who broke in here but I heard that you were defated…"

"Well I´m not and I won´t be defated until I saved my brother!"

"Your brother?"

His eyes widened and he had a surprised look on his face.

"Yes my Brother!"

"Is his name Ame?"

"Yes… Why?"

I asked while I was very confused about this question.

"Oh then you must be his Sister, I assume!"

With a light smile on his face he took his sword back and walked further to us while I didn´t understand anything that was going on. _Why does he know who I am?_

"My name is Junichi and I´m a guard here in this prison. Your brother is a close friend of mine…"

"Oh well ni- Wait did you say you work here?"

"Yes."

"So why didn´t you let him out by yourself?"

"Uhm because I would have lost my job and became a Criminal myself…"

"And because of that you would let your friend die?"

I spoke with a very angry voice because I couldn´t believe that he would prefer letting his friend die instead of risking something like a pathetic job to save him. He then looked very concerned at me as he then sighed.

"Yes you´re right I choose the wrong way. I´m a terrible friend…"

"Yes you are! But you still have the chance to save him with us!"

He seemed like he had to thought about it but then he nooded.

"Fine I´ll help you…"

"Good…"

Since Junichi knew where Ame´s cell lied we didn´t have problems to find it. Kabuto who ran beside me looked suddenly a bit pale and I became worried again. _Was it because Junichi smashed him against the wall? I hope he´ll be alright until we´re out of here…_

He noticed that I starred at him.

"Is something the matter?"

"No I was just lost in my thoughts…"

We then reached his cell and he sat there, looking up to the ceiling as I then became happy because we finally found him.

"Ame!"

A bit terrified he looked at me and he seemed to be very surprised.

"S- Sakuya? What are you doing here? And everybody else…?"

"We´re here to save you!"

Kabuto opened the door and I ran to Ame, then embracing him tightly. _I´m so glad that he´s alright…_

"I- I never could have imagined that you would come…"

Then he seemed to recognize Souji as well and had a bright smile on his face.

"Seems like we´re all together again."

After he was also freed from his shakles he laid one arm around me and the other one around Souji.

"Thank you for risking everything just to save me…"

"Wait!"

I grabbed Kabuto´s hand and dragged him also near us.

"He also came with me to save you."

All of a sudden Ame smirked at Kabuto who blushed then.

"I knew you would take care of her…and thank you as well!"

"Then let´s get out of here guys. As long as nobody has noticed that you´re away."

"Right let´s go!"


	24. A big Brothers task

Kabuto´s P.O.V

After we freed Ame we made our way back to the Exit but it was a bit suspecious that nobody tried to stop us. _Normally there are a lot more guards in a prison I really wonder where they all are…_

Also after we reached the 2nd floor I suddenly felt a bit weary and tired. _Damn I thought the reserve Chakra of mine would hold a bit longer but it seems that I´m near on my limit…_

My sight became more and more vague and I also felt that my limbs became heavier with every step. _N- No I have to stay awake and reach the Exit with everybody. I can´t fail now and become a burden for everyone…_

"Hey say Junichi why did you change your mind and helped me?"

Ame asked curiously.

"Well uhm your Sister told me what a bad friend I am so I thought this is the only right thing to do…"

"I´m glad that you came but what are you planning to do after we´re out of here?"

"I don´t know…"

"Why don´t you come with me and we travel around the country together?"

"Yes that sounds like a plan…"

Then Sakuya ran a bit slower and we were running beside each other as she then looked at me with a worried look.

"Kabuto are you alright?"

Puffed I looked at her and nooded.

"I´m fine…"

A sigh came from her and then suddenly she grabbed my hand.

"You´re way too slow so come on!"

She dragged me and I blushed because I remembered back that she also did it very often in our childhood. For her I was always too slow and so she had to drag me behind her. But I never was sure if she really did that because of this reason or maybe because she just wanted to hold my hand. _Well it´s not like I ever disliked that…_

So I grabbed her hand a bit tighter and tried to run a bit faster to catch up with her. Running like this with her made me feel a bit better and I felt save with her just like back then. _Well but didn´t I promise her that I would protect her this time?_

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn´t notice that everybody stopped running.

"What is wrong?"

"Isn´t it strange that we ran nearly through every floor but we didn´t meet up with any guards?"

Asked Junichi while he looked around.

"True but what is that supposed to mean?"

"I´m not sure but we should be careful…"

My legs hurted even more, now that we had to stay for a few minutes. We reached the first floor but I tripped and fell down to the ground. Every part of my body felt too heavy to move and I felt despaired as then Sakuya kneeled down to me.

"Are you hurt?"

"No… I´m sorry…"

"No need to apologize…"

She smiled and tried to help me getting up again.

"You guys can go further. We´re coming as soon as we can…"

Ame shaked his head.

"No we neither go all together or nobody will go…"

Sakuya laid my arm around her shoulder and hers around my waist to comfort me while we were walking.

"I think it´s better if you leave me behind. I´m just a burden for a-"

"Are you insane? I would never leave you behind!"

Her brown eyes glanced at me with an urgently look. _Sakuya…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

_That he even though I would abandon him…_

I knew that it wasn´t Kabuto´s fault that he was in such a weakend condition at the moment. _No if I´m honest it is mine. By saving my life he used his whole Chakra and because of that he is so weak at the moment…_

"Sakuya watch out!"

Kabuto pushed me away from him and I fell down to the ground. When I looked up I saw that his arm was bleeding because a Kunai stuck in there as suddenly a whole bunch of Kunai flew into his direction. He couldn´t get up and dodge so Junichi was then standing infront of him and turned them away with his sword. Shocked as I was I ran to Kabuto.

"Oh my god why did you do that?"

As carefully as I could I dragged the Kunai out of his arm and he lightly smiled.

"I told you that I´ll protect you this time…"

"Idiot…"

Junichi streched his hand out to help Kabuto up and also comforted him by laying an arm around him.

"Do you think you´re able to walk further?"

"I guess…"

His voice was weak and I felt sorry again.

"You guys won´t go anywhere!"

A very familiar voice said and as I recognized it I became angry and afraid at once. It was Tomera´s voice the man who freezed me before. He was standing infront of us with nearly one hundred guards behind him. _Oh shit!_

He examined all of us and when he saw me he had a smirk on his face.

"You´re still alive? Maybe I underestimated you so let´s fight again!"

As soon as he started running towards me also the other guards were running. Ame, Souji and Junichi were ready to fight and I was standing infront of Kabuto. _I have to protect him that´s the most important thing!_

Tomera was heading to me but I made handsigns and a wall of fire appeard infront of me and Kabuto. _As long as I can hold him on a distance it´s fine but how long will I be able to keep this wall up?_

I was running with sweat because this Jutsu costed a lot of Chakra and since I wasn´t still totally recovered. So I turned around to Kabuto and whispered to him.

"Run away…"

He shaked his head.

"I won´t leave you alone this time!"

"You´re not able to fight! It makes no sense and you would just stand in my way so get lost!"

Suddenly the wall of fire disappeard and Tomera, who still smirked, was standing there holding a strange sword in his hand.

"Since my Freezing Jutsu didn´t work on you I guess I have to kill you with my Ice sword this time. And be sure that you won´t survive again…"

My first though was that I could melt the sword with fire. So I spit fire at him but the sword remaind. _How is this possible?_

"You can´t melt this ice! It´s special and nothing in this wold is able to destroy it!"

I drew a Kunai and when he attacked I dodged it as good as I could. _I have to go a bit further away with him so that he can´t harm Kabuto…_

So I jumped back until we were far enough away. Ame and the others didn´t seem to have many problems with those guards so I thought that as soon as I defated Tomera we could escape easily. _The question is am I even able to beat him?_

We fought and it was hard to resist against him. He was strong and I feard that he was too strong for me to defate. _I can´t land a hit on him so how should I do that?_

As hard as I tried I had no chance and then he was able to struck the Kunai out of my hand. With an evil smirk he then slashed my belly with his sword since I wasn´t able to dodge soon enough. The blood was dripping down and I fell on my knees. _No I failed again…_

"Sakuya!"

Kabuto tried to run towards me but he still was too weak and fell down on the ground as well. I looked to him, knowing that this would be the last time that I saw him and smiled. _There are so many things I wanted to tell you but now it´s too late…_

He gave me a despaired look but I then looked up to Tomera who had still this disturbing smirk on his face. My whole body shivered and I pressed my hand against the injury while I tried to get up again but it had no use. _It´s over but as long as the others can escape I´m glad. Ame and Souji I hope you two can forgive me my weakness and that I have to leave you now. Junichi please make sure that they can escape. Kabuto I wish I was able to tell you how much I-_

Aoi was biting in Tomera´s leg, trying to prevent him from giving me the rest.

"You dumb Snake get lost!"

He kicked him against the wall and he didn´t move anymore.

"A- Aoi…"

I had to cough and blood came out of my mouth. He was ready to stab me and I closed my eyes. _Goodbye everyone…_

A few seconds past and I wondered what was taking him so long. When I opened my eyes my heart skipped a beat.

"N- No please not…"

Ame was standing infront of me, smiling and bleeding out of his Chest because Tomera stabbed through him. _This just has to be a bad dream!_

Tomera dragged the sword back out of him and was ready to stab again as suddenly Junichi came who was holding him back with his sword.

"It´s enough Tomera!"

"You little traitor! I´ll kill you as well!"

So those two started fighting while Ame fell down on his knees. I laid my arms around him trying to stop his injury from bleeding.

"S- Sakuya it´s alright…"

"No it´s not! I won´t let you die! You said we neither go all or nobody will go!"

My voice shivered and I felt how the blood was flowing out of him. He laid his hand on the back of my head.

"I´m sorry little Sister. My time has come…"

"Please don´t say something like this! K-"

I wanted to tell him that Kabuto could heal him but then I remebered that he had no Chakra left. Also he seemed to be fainted since he didn´t move anymore. I became despaired.

"It´s fine at least I was able to protect you and I would do it again believe me. The only thing I regret is that I won´t be able to see you becoming even more stronger and reaching your dream…"

His voice was weak and he had to whisper now.

"I know it will be hard for you but stay strong. You still have people who need you. Souji, Aoi and Kabuto they all need you. Also something else…"

He whispered something in my ear and then after he was done he started crying.

"I Love you Sister and also tell Souji that I love him as well…"

Then I felt how his heart stopped beating and he fell down to the ground. My hands were bloody and I was unable to speak. Panic and despair grew inside of me as I suddenly had to scream very loud.

The last thing I remember then was Aoi who crawled to me and I believed that it was Souji who also ran towards me but before I could see him clear I became unconscious.


	25. Until you come back

Sakuya´s P.O.V

After a while, I didn´t know how much time passed, I was able to open my eyes again. Souji was carrying me on his back and when I looked beside me I saw that Junichi carried Kabuto. He was still unconscious but he seemed to be alright. _I´m glad that Souji, Kabuto, Aoi and Junichi were able to escape but why did they take me with them? I don´t deserve to live anymore…_

With this thought I fainted again.

Kabuto´s P.O.V

"Mhhh…"

I opened my eyes and wondered where I was at. My injury was bandaged and also a blanket was laying on me. _Does that mean we all escaped?_

Suddenly I remembered that Sakuya was seriously injured and sat up. _I hope she is alright…_

It was still a bit hard to move but it was bearable. When I walked out of the door I saw Junichi and Souji sitting on a table while talking about something.

"Seems like you´re feeling better again…"

Junichi gave me a light smile and I leand myself on the wall.

"Well yes I´m fine… Say where is Sakuya? Is she alright?"

Souji gave me a light glance but then he sighed.

"She´s in the other room but I guess she´s still unconscious…"

So I walked into the other room but when I opened the door I was shocked. She wasn´t there anymore.

"Didn´t you say she was unconscious?"

"The last time when I looked for her she was but even if she would be awake how is she able to move? Her injury is serious she really shouldn´t walk around like that."

"I´ll go and look for her!"

I walked as fast as I could out of the door as suddenly Junichi yelled something after me.

"Wait a second I have to tell you something before you go!"

"Then hurry and tell me what it is!"

The time urged when her injury really was that terrible. She could die because of her loss of blood.

"Ame died during the fight…"

Shocked I looked at him while I realized that she maybe went away because of that. Because of the pain in her heart. _Please don´t do something stupid Sakuya!_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

While nobody noticed it I went out of the little house where we were hiding. I went to the place my brother told me to go to before he died. Back to our old house where we lived as children.

My injury was still hurting bad but I was determined to go there. Nothing could have stopped me now. Aoi crawled on the ground beside me even though I didn´t want him to come with me. I wanted to be alone.

When I reached the house and opened the door I became lightly nostalgic. The last time I was here was 10 years ago before I went away. This feeling didn´t last too long and I looked at the place where Ame told me to look at. In our old room behind the closet was it hidden. A scroll and a letter from him.

After I found it I walked out of the house again and while walking I started reading the letter.

_Dear Sakuya,_

_I know I wasn´t a good elder brother for you because I always offended you. Also I´m sorry for calling you weak all the time I know that you´re not because ,well you´re my little Sister. And because I believe you´re strong I stole this scroll for you. It´s a very powerful Fire Release Technique and not everybody is able to use it but as I said I think you are able to do it._

_Something else you should go into the Southern Fire Temple and look for a women called Naru. As I know is she the only one who knows about this Technique as well and maybe she can help you while learning it._

_Until then I wish you a lot of luck during your training and I´m very proud of you that you nearly reached your dream. I love you Sister!_

_Regards, Ame._

_P.S. Don´t be sad because of Kabuto just give him a bit more time he´s just acting cold nothing more._

After I finished reading it I folded it and took it into my pocket. Also the scroll was in my bag but I didn´t even read it. _I can´t accept this gift from you Ame! I don´t deserve it! Not after you lost your life because of your weak Sister!_

I laid my hand on my belly because there was suddenly a bad pain and when I looked down there I noticed that I was bleeding. Aoi looked worried up to me but I just continued walking deeper into the woods. _I don´t care anymore…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Junichi told me where I maybe could find her while Souji and he went into the other directions to look for her. I was worried about her because I knew what kind of things she must have in her mind now. _Losing someone important is always hard I know that myself but she´s a strong person I don´t believe she will do something to herself. And also Aoi is by her side so I hope he would stop her if she really plans to do something…_

I reached their old house but since the door was open I thought that I was too late. Nobody was in there so she must have been gone into the woods. After a while I suddenly noticed something on the ground. _Is that… blood?_

Panic spread inside of me and I followed the trail of blood. A few meters later I found her leaning against a tree and breathing pretty hard.

"Sakuya!"

She looked up to me but her eyes had a cold and blunt look inside.

"Go away…"

As I looked at her injury I walked closer to her but she also walked a bit further away.

"I said go away! Don´t come any closer to me!"

"What are you talking? I have to take care of your injury or you might-"

"I don´t care!"

With an angry look she turned around and went deeper into the woods while I followed her very confused.

"Sakuya stop!"

I grabbed her arm but she wrenched my hand away.

"Why can´t you just leave me alone?!"

"Because I won´t let you die!"

"Why not? I don´t deserve it to live! Ame died because of me, you were injured because of me and even Aoi got hurt because of me! Everybody who is close to me will die in the end and I want to stop this circle! Nobody shall die because of me ever again!"

Her sad but also sorrowful look broke my heart while I slowly walked towards her.

"Don´t talk like that. It wasn´t your fault…"

"It was! I´m weak and I couldn´t stand a chance against Tomera! Ame saved my life by sacrificing his own-"

She had to cough and blood came out of her mouth.

"Please let me take care of your injury!"

"No!"

It was strange that she still was able to stand even though her injury was bleeding like hell but that was unnecessary at the moment.

"If you come any closer to me I- I´ll fight you!"

With a determined look she glanced at me while I sighed.

"So you really believe in this condition you even stand a chance against me?"

"Yes I do!"

"Then try it!"

I walked closer towards her and she was just standing there not looking like she would do anything.

"I thought you said you´d fight me?"

As I stood now infront of her she suddenly tried to hit me with her fist but it was easy to hold her back. She started struggeling when I forced her into a hug.

"Let go of me!"

"No!"

I was holding tight on her and pressed her on me. After a while she seemed to become too weak and let herself fall down on her knees. I also kneeled down, still embracing her tightly.

"I can´t endure this pain any longer…"

She whispered while pressing her head against my chest.

"I know it´s hard but you have to be strong now…"

Slightly I stroked her hair as she suddenly looked up to me. Tears were running down her face and it was the first time I saw her crying. It was shocking for me to see her like this.

"I`m sorry…"

She whimpert while I shaked my head.

"There´s no need for you to apologize…"

As we looked each other now in the eyes she suddenly blushed and embed her head on my chest again. We remaind like this for a while until I interrupted the silence.

"Will you now let me take care of your injury?"

"Yes do what you want…"

Before she looked up to me she whiped her tears away and then started starring to the side. I knew that she never was the kind of person who used to cry before others nor did she ever show such emotions like sadness. It must have been emberassing for her that I saw her like this but for me it didn´t change the fact that I still saw her as a strong person.

Sakuya´s P.O.V

As I felt lightly better through Kabuto´s healing Jutsu I also was very emberassed from the fact that Kabuto saw me crying. Back then when I lost my Aunt and my Uncle because the Village we lived in was destroyed I had to cry for such a long time. I felt alone, despaired and lonely and nobody was there who could have helped me. Until the day I met Haruhi and Ame. Both of them became my Family as well as Souji later on.

I swore to myself that for the sake of my family I´ll become strong and forget about the past but there were a lot of moments when I had to cry. Crying was for me something that showed others your weakness and you made yourself vulnerable towards them. After losing my Uncle and Aunt I cried the first time, the second time when Ame left for his journey, the third time when Kabuto left, the fourth time when Haruhi died and the fifth time was now. _And he has seen it…_

Kabuto was done after a while and sat infront of me, scraching his head.

"Uhm should we go back?"

While shaking my head I finally looked him in the eyes again. His look was sad and worried.

"Say Kabuto why did you push me away?"

With an lightly confused expression he looked at me.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean why did you save me? Why did you push me out of the way and got hit by that Kunai yourself? I just want to know that maybe then I can understand Ame´s intentions…"

A smile appeard on his face while he then laid his hand on my cheek.

"Because neither me or Ame would´ve let you get hurt. We both had the intentions to protect you at any cost because we-"

All of a sudden he stopped talking, dragged his hand away and his head became scarlet.

"Yes because you both do what?"

He started to stammer while I became a bit unpatient.

"Uhm I- I wanted to say that uhm A- Ame and me we both uhm l- l-"

"Come on spit it out!"

"We uhm both couldn´t endure it if we would´ve lost you…"

"That´s not what you wanted to say…"

First he was so nervous while talking and suddenly he wasn´t? I couldn´t believe that and I wanted to know the truth.

"Of course it was!"

I leand myself a bit closer to him and our faces were just a few inches from each other away.

"You´re lying…"

"I- I-"

Then I pinched his cheeks with my fingers and pulled them to and fro.

"H- Hey Sakuya please stop that…"

Because of the way his face looked like while I did that I had to giggle.

"You look pretty funny like that…"

With a smirk on his face he also pinched my cheeks and started doing the same as I did.

"That´s not funny!"

"I told you that before but since you won´t stop neither…"

We did that for a while and I was even able to laugh a little bit. After a while we let go of each other and I smiled at Kabuto.

"Thank you…"

"No need to thank me. I´ll always be there for you…"

My mood suddenly went back down as Ame´s letter and the scroll came back to my mind.

"What is wrong?"

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn´t notice how concerned Kabuto looked at me.

"Oh well it´s nothing…"

"Shall we now go back to Souji and Junichi?"

"No I would like to stay here for the Night…"

So many things were on my mind and I couldn´t imagine that when everybody was around me I could´ve found a moment to think about it.

"Really?"

"Yes… but you don´t have to stay. I can take care of myself and also Aoi is by my side…"

"Don´t be ridiculouse I won´t leave you alone!"

He said with a serious voice.

"Okay…"

It wouldn´t really disturb me when he was around. _To be honest when he´s there I really feel better…_

We were sitting beside each other, leaning on a tree straim as I suddenly started shivering. Since it was already night there was now a cold wind and since I was just wearing a shirt.

"Are you cold?"

"No it´s fine…"

Then he became slightly red and looked to the ground.

"W- Well you know- uhm I mean i- if you don´t mind- y- you could sit uhm here-"

While he showed me that he offered me the place infront of him I also blushed furiously as I realized what that would mean.

"D- Do you mean we should cuddle?"

"N- No! I mean except if you want that b- but I just thought if we would sit closer to each other it would be warmer and also it would be more comfortable with your wound if you could lean on something uhm soft…"

Still blushed I placed myself infront of him, then leaning back on his chest. He then also laid his arms around me and all of a sudden I heard his heart beating very fast and loudly.

"Kabuto are you alright?"

"Yes…"

A light shiver went through my body when I felt how he buried his nose into my hair. _I can´t believe that we´re sitting here like this… So close to each other and even a bit cuddling…_

Also Aoi was laying in my lap and I wished that it could always be like this. Then I remembered why I wanted to stay in the woods in the first place and the good feeling I got disappeard again. Since I couldn´t find an answer myself I decided to ask Kabuto about his opinion.

"Kabuto…?"

"Hm?"

"Are you awake?"

"Yes why?"

"I- I have to tell you something but-"

"What?"

"Well uhm wait…"

I took the letter out of my pocket and gave it to him.

"That´s a letter from Ame but I´m not sure if I should do what he wanted me to do…"

A few minutes past after Kabuto gave me an answer.

"So you would have to go away?"

"Yes…"

"For how long?"

"I don´t know but should I really do it?"

I turned around to him while he seemed to thought about it until he sighed.

"You know I don´t want to be seperated from you again, I mean since we finally are together again but even though it hurts me to say this you should go."

"Really?"

"Yes I believe that you´ll feel better after you learned this Jutsu and also a bit time to think about those things that happened can´t be bad neither…"

"But what about Orochimaru-sama and Otogakure?"

"Let me deal with that I´ll tell him what happened and make him understand that your training is more important at the moment. Also if you become stronger I can´t imagine that Orochimaru-sama would dislike that."

He winked and I smiled.

"Maybe you´re right…"

I turned back around, leand against Kabuto and fell asleep while listening to Kabuto´s heartbeat.

When I woke up the next morning I saw that Kabuto was still asleep and I blushed while I quietly turned around and kissed him on the cheek. _I hope he didn´t notice that…_

He made a noise and opened his eyes.

"Good Morning…"

"Good Morning."

After a while we finally walked back to the little house where Souji and Junichi were waiting for us.

"Sister where have you been the whole Night?!"

Souji ran to me with a worried look but I just smiled.

"It was fine we stayed in the Woods for the Night…"

"We?!"

"Yes Kabuto, Aoi and me."

He then glanced at Kabuto and examined him.

"Has he done something to you?"

"What should he do to me?"

"You know what I mean…"

Both Kabuto and me, we blushed as we remembered back the position in which we fell asleep.

"N- No! We didn´t do anything!"

After Souji was convinced that we hadn´t done anything I told him and Junichi about my plans and also asked them what they wanted to do now.

"Well I really would´ve liked to stay with you Sister…"

"Me as well Sakuya-san…"

I was surprised that even Junichi wanted to stay with me.

"But you know that I live with Kabuto and Orochimaru-sama right?"

"Yea but I guess I can deal with him…"

"If Orochimaru-sama gives his permission it´s fine with me but as I said first I have to go and train a little bit…"

Suddenly Kabuto interrupted our conversation.

"They can come back with me and I don´t believe Orochimaru-sama will send them away. As I saw do both of them possess good fighting skills and he´s always looking for good servants…"

With a happy expression I nooded and Souji and Junichi agreed as well.

"Well I guess that means we have to say goodbye again…"

After saying goodbye to Junichi and Souji I turned to Kabuto who blushed and who didn´t know, just as me, how we should say goodbye again. I knew he didn´t like to show his feelings towards me in public that´s why I didn´t force him to hug me.

"Good luck Sakuya I believe in you…"

"Thanks and take care alright…"

He looked down to me as he then suddenly embraced me tightly. It surprised me but I was glad.

"I´ll come back as soon as I can…"

"Don´t hurry you have all the time you need…"

They went away and I was standing there now with Aoi around my waist and took the scroll out.

"Let´s see what kind of Jutsu this is…"

I read it and was agape.

"T- That sounds awesome Aoi!"

Happiely he licked over my face and I closed the scroll again.

"I promise you Ame I won´t disappoint you this time! I´ll learn this Jutsu and make you proud!"

After saying this I made my way to the Southern Fire Temple where my Teacher would be waiting for me. _Just wait guys I´ll come back even stronger than before!_


	26. The life of Ame

Ame´s P.O.V

~ 19 years ago ~

Oh no I´m late again!

It was already dark outside when I was on my way back home from my friends. My parents didn´t like it when I came back home so late but I couldn´t change that I wasn´t a very responsible child.

Since our little Village near Konoha wasn´t that dangerous I never feard being attacked or something durning night time. _Anyways I´m a child who would want to harm me?_

When I reached our house I went in there, taking my shoes off.

"Mom! Dad! I´m back! Sorry for being late a-"

While walking through our hallway I suddenly noticed blood on the floor and got panic.

"Mom?! Dad?!"

I ran into the living room and my parents were laying there.

"M- Mom?…"

Carefully I walked to them and shaked my mother lightly. She showed no reaction and so did my dad.

"No this can´t be true please wake up!"

As I then noticed the blood flowing from them I finally realized that they were dead. Shocked I let myself fall down on my knees and started crying. _Why? Why me? Why my parents? _

Not being able to think about anything I stood up, running out of my house and into the woods that laid near. I couldn´t stay in this house any longer, in this Village. Without my parents what sense did my life had left?

After running the whole night, tears still running down my face, I couldn´t go any further. My feet hurt and also I became hungry and thirsty. _But where am I?_

The surrounding didn´t look familiar to me and I couldn´t say from which direction I came. Despaired I walked a bit further until I reached a little River. I drank some of the water and afterwards I streched my feet into there. The cold water felt good but still I didn´t know what to do now. _Do I have to die now?_

After I rested for a while I stood back up and walked somewhere else. _Maybe I can reach a place where people live like another Village or at least find something eatable…_

My belly made some noise as I became weaker and weaker. _I- I can´t go any further…_

The last thing I knew was that I fainted.

I didn´t know how long I was unconscious but when I woke up again I was laying in a bed. It was warm in that room and also a delicious scent went up my nose. So I stood up, opened carefully the door and peeked out there. The scent came from the right side so I followed it and reached a little kitchen. There was a young, beautiful, brown haired women who seemed to cook something.

When she noticed me she smiled at me.

"It´s good to see that you´re awake again."

Her smile was very pretty and I blushed a little bit. She offered me a seat at the kitchen table and I sat there then drinking a glas of water.

"So little one what is your name?"

With her grey sparkling eyes she glanced at me very friendly.

"My name is Ame and yours?"

"Haruhi. Well Ame why were you alone in the woods? Where are your parents?"

Suddenly the picture of my dead parents came back into my head and I had to cry again. My body was shivering as then Haruhi kneeled down infront of me and pressed me softly on her.

"I see so you´re alone…"

After a while I calmed down a bit and she gave me a bowl with Ramen to eat.

"I hope you´ll like it."

My hunger overwhelmed me and just a few minutes later I was done with eating.

"I- It was very good! Thank you!"

"You´re welcome!"

She gave me a bright smile and I had to smile as well. All of a sudden she seemed to tought about something.

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"No… I mean we had a house but I don´t want to go back there…"

"If you want to you can stay here!"

"Huh?"

It was a bit surprising for me that she asked me to stay since she didn´t know anything about me nor I about her.

"Well I mean I´m living alone and this house is way too big to live here alone… but I also could understand if you would prefer going to an Orphanage since I´m a foreign women for you…"

"I would really like to stay!"

Haruhi was very likeable and also she seemed to be lonely as well so I decided to stay.

"Great!"

The time passed and Haruhi became like a big Sister to me. Her kindness made me slowly forget about my pain even though I often had to think about my parents. But also I knew that they would´ve wanted that I live on even if it was without them.

One day, I was laying in the gras under a shady tree, Haruhi came back home with a young blonde girl. They walked to me and I sat up, examining the girl and I noticed that her eyes had a sad look inside while she also seemed to be pretty done.

"Who is this Haruhi?"

The girl looked to the ground and Haruhi laid her hand on the girls head.

"That´s Sakuya, I found her near a little Village that had been completely destroyed…"

I stood up and felt sorry for Sakuya. _So that means she also lost her parents…_

"Does that mean she´ll live with us from now on?"

"Yes if she want to."

Haruhi looked down to her and Sakuya nooded, then smiling at her.

"Could you may take care of her for now? I´ll prepear dinner then…"

"Sure no problem."

She went away and Sakuya looked shyly up to me.

"And how old are you?"

"I´m five and you?"

"I´m eight years old… Do you want me to show you the surroundings here?"

"Oh uhm s- sure…"

"Good then come!"

I grabbed her hand and dragged her with me while she blushed lightly. For somebody who experienced something traumatic was it the best to be distracted. _Or that´s at least what I think…_

After a few days it was obvious that she felt very confortable with us and I had to say that she was very likeable. It was also funny to tease her since she always became lightly angry.

That was also the case one day while we were walking along a little path as I suddenly started to run away from her.

"Come on! If you can´t catch up with me I won´t stop calling you a little weakling!"

"That´s mean Ame! You know that I´m not as fast as you!"

Even though I knew that she couldn´t I didn´t stop running and when I reached a River ,where some big stones were laying in, I jumped from one to the other until I reache the other side. I was standing there and Sakuya finally catched up as well, examining the unsafe way to across the river with doubts.

"Hey don´t tell me you´re afraid of that? If you manage to come to the other side I´ll stop calling you weak how does this sound?"

With a smirk on my face I looked at her and she carefully jumped on the first Stone. She nearly reached the middle as she suddenly slipped and landed into the water. I had to laugh and said that she really was a little bumpkin but I immediately stopped when I realized that she still was underwater.

"Sakuya!"

So I jumped in and dragged her up to the surface where she had to cough.

"Are you okay?"

I asked with a worried voice but she just nooded.

"Why didn´t you tell me that you can´t swim?"

"I didn´t know that I couldn´t…"

She gave me a sad look and I pressed her tightly on me.

"I´m sorry, I´m really sorry…"

When I carried her out of the water I said to her that if she wanted to I could carry her back home on my back but she shaked her head.

"No you don´t need to. I´m not as weak as I look you know!"

With a bright smile she looked at me and I smiled as well.

"If you say so…"

Three more years passed and Sakuya became like my little Sister. Even if I was often mean to her I still liked her a lot and would do anything to protect her.

One rainy day, Sakuya was laying on the floor and drew some pictures while I made some sit-ups, Haruhi came back with a little blue haired boy. He seemed to be weak and the cold look in his eyes was a bit scary. _I wonder what happened to him…_

The boys name was Souji but it didn´t seem like he wanted to have anything to do with us. Everytime when somebody started talking with him he just ignored it and remaind sitting in the corner of the room, embracing his knees.

Some days later I watched how Sakuya sat down beside him and started stroking his hair. At the end it seemed like she reached him since he was snuggling on her and cried. After that day he finally seemed to become a bit more candid towards us but it was obvious that it was hard for him. He always was staying by Sakuya´s side and also slept in her bed when she allowed it. _At least it seems like he accepted us as his new family…_

Another two months passed and Souji was now used to call Sakuya his Sister and he even called me sometimes Brother. Haruhi told me that she was very happy that he now felt more confortable with us and I agreed with her.

Sakuya took him, now for the first time , with her in the town to buy something to eat. When I saw them coming back, Sakuya holding a young boy with grey hair and glasses on her hand, I stood up and walked towards them since I was curious who this boy was.

She told us that he had been robbed and that he now had no money left for buying food for his Orphanage. As nice as our Sister was she agreed when Sakuya asked her to give him something.

The boys name was Kabuto and just like I did it with nearly everybody I called him weak when I noticed that he didn´t have any muscles or anything. That made Sakuya angry since she hated it when I was cheeky against foreign people but I never cared for that.

Kabuto then became a big part of Sakuya´s life since she always was hanging out with him and stuff. One day when she came home with a snake around her waist she told me that Aoi was their little baby and I had to laugh out loud.

"Oh my god you and that Nerd? That poor little Snake has two weaklings as his parents."

Angrily she said that neither her nor Kabuto were weak but I said she should proof me that one day.

One and a half year later I suddenly felt like I wanted to leave my home. Like I wanted to have some adventures in my life. With 13 years I maybe was a bit young but still it was something I really wanted to do. Haruhi first had doubts but gave me her permission after she saw how serious I was about it.

"I´ll miss you a lot Ame…"

Her lightly sad voice nearly broke my heart and I embraced her tightly.

"Thank you for everything Sister…"

Also I had to tell Sakuya about it and walked after her and Kabuto but before I said something I watched them from the distance. Lately Sakuya was able to walk up a tree and she showed it to Kabuto as she suddenly fell down and he catched her but fell down to the ground. As I now saw them together like this, just looking each other in the eyes for a moment I realized what Haruhi meant when she told Souji that Sakuya felt a lot towards Kabuto. _So they´re in love…_

After telling her also about it, I left the next morning with a good feeling inside. Even though I would miss all of them a lot I felt that this was the right thing to do. _And when we all see each other again I hope I can tell you a lot of cool storys!_

Two years passed and for earning some money I was now working as a thief. Though it was very risky I liked it and got used to it by now. One day ,when I stole some Diamonds from a rich mens house, a brown haired boy followed me to catch me. He must have been a Ninja I saw that on his Konoha headband. A bit deeper inside the woods he finally catched up with me and we started fighting.

I was impressed because his fighting skills were equal with mine and in the end we had a draw. He was holding his sword on my throat and I was holding a Kunai on his.

"And now?"

The boy asked while I had to smirk.

"Well we have two options. Neither one of us is fast enough to kill the other one or we stop that now and go home alive because I don´t really have the intentions to kill you…"

"Me neither…"

He took his sword away and I the Kunai.

"By the way my name is Ame and yours?"

"Junichi…"

From that day on we had been somekind of friends even though we were on different sides. Everytime I was near Konoha we met and talked a little bit. Lately he had been working as a guard in a prison and it seemed to be fun for him.

Five years had been passed since I left my home and I decided to go there and visit them. When I arrived I was surprised that nobody was there. _Strange where is everybody?_

I walked into the garden but stopped when I saw a little grave. As I read the name that was written on there I felt tears running down my face. _Haruhi…_

While kneeling infront of her grave I suddenly understood why nobody was there anymore. _Seems like they all went away to go their own path…_

Before I left I laid some flowers down on her grave and smiled.

"Just because of you I was able to live on again. I wish I could´ve seen you just one more time to tell you how much I love you…"

Some more years passed and I was walking through a town as I suddenly recognized my little Sister Sakuya. Just for fun I attacked her and we fought a little bit until I took my hood off and she recognized me as well. I felt happy when I heard that she was alright and also that she would soon become a member of "The 9 Lights of the Shinobi World".

Something that also made me a bit more relieved was when I saw that Kabuto was with her but only until I saw his behavior towards her. As I asked him what his problem was he just said he didn´t care anymore but I didn´t believe him. Also I asked him to take care of her but he told me he wouldn´t promise me anything he couldn´t hold. Knowing that he would do it even if he said no at the moment I stopped talking about it with him. _We both know that you will Kabuto it´s just a matter of time…_

When I had to say goodbye again to my Sister I became sad. She really became a strong young lady and I wished her only the best. _Just never give up!_

A bit time passed and while I was on my way to my next destination to steal something important there was a women and a men. They seemed to have a conflict because the women tried to free herself from his grip while he was holding thight on her arm. The women reminded me somekind of on Haruhi and even though that wasn´t my business I grabbed the mens arm then glancing bad at him.

"Didn´t you hear what the Lady said? Let go of her!"

Scared from my look he let go and walked away. The young Lady was now smiling at me and I blushed.

"Thanks a lot! My name is Yuka and yours?"

"Ame…"

Yuka really was a nice women kind, friendly, funny and smart. I shared a bit time with her and before I knew it I had been fallen for her. _What a unfamiliar feeling…_

"Why do you have to leave?"

She looked up to me while holding my hands and I sighed.

"I have to take care of some very important business…"

"Then let me come with you!"

"Not now… When I come back we can talk about it."

I grinned and kissed her gently on the lips.

"You will come back right?"

"Of course I will…"

Her hands let go of mine and I walked away. _When I come back I´ll ask her to marry me!_

Then everything happened very fast. I was able to steal that scroll, wrote also a letter for Sakuya and hide it in our old house. Before I was able to go back to Yuka I was cought and imprisoned because they wanted to know where I hide the scroll. As stubborn as I was I didn´t told them about it and was then sentenced to death.

For my surprise came Sakuya, Souji, Kabuto and Junichi to save me and I got the hope that we all would make it out alive again but everything went wrong. We were surprised from the guards that were waiting for us and had to fight.

It wasn´t that hard to beat them but when I turned around I saw that Sakuya had problems. I saw that she was bleeding and Kabuto wasn´t able to move anymore so that he could´ve saved her. So I ran towards her and jumped before her. I felt a bad pain in my chest as I saw then the sword that stuck inside of me.

My energy left me and I fell down on my knees, leaning on Sakuya who pressed her hands against my wound. It had no use I knew it was over now. _At least in the end I was a good big brother…_

Before I died I told her about the scroll and also how much I loved her and Souji. _I have to go now but I don´t regret that I saved you. If I would have to choose again I would jump infront of you just as now beacause you´re my little Sister…_

My heart beat became slower and slower and I had to cry. _Yuka I´m so sorry that I couldn´t hold my promise and come back. I really loved you and I wish I could´ve told you that! I love all of you guys…_

When I closed my eyes I knew that this was the end of my Story.


	27. Sakuya Returns

Sakuya´s P.O.V

~ 2 years later ~

"So I guess I should go now you two…"

I was kneeling infront of the two graves that were in the garden of our old house. After I was done with my training I came back here, then also making a little gravestone for Ame and placed it beside Haruhi. Aoi hissed excited at me and I patted his head.

"Yes alright we´ll go…"

Not only he was excited, I was also pretty nervous because it took me longer with my training than thought. _I mean Kabuto said I could take all the time I need but he probably didn´t mean 2 years…_

Before I went away I turned to the graves of my elder siblings and smiled.

"I promise that I´ll take care of Souji as good as I can…"

I took the hood of my black cape on and continued my way to Orochimaru´s hideout. _I guess they will be pretty surprised to see me…_

During Night time I reached it and went carefully in. With a light smirk on my face I walked through the hallway but when I went in Kabuto´s room he wasn´t there. Also Orochimaru wasn´t in his room and I was confused. _Don´t tell me everybody isn´t here yet…_

The last room I knew would be Sasuke´s and I opened the door. It was dark in there as I suddenly noticed two red glowing eyes starring at me.

"Who is there?"

"Uhm it´s me Sakuya…"

He took the light on and rubbed his eyes, then yawning. I walked to his bed and sat down then hugging him.

"I missed you Sasuke!"

When I let go of him he sighed.

"I can´t believe that I say this but I missed you too…"

"Wow very friendly…"

"Well it´s just because while you were away Kabuto acted a bit strange…"

"Strange?"

"Yes I mean he never was normal that´s a fact but it seemed like he was a bit depressed…"

"What is depressed supposed to mean?"

He told me what Kabuto used to do in the time while I was away and after he was done I was rolling on the ground, laughing.

"Oh- Oh my god…. I c- can´t believe it!"

After I calmed down I sat down on the bed again and asked him where everybody was at.

"Orochimaru and Kabuto are on a mission I guess and Souji and Junichi are also out to take care of some business."

"Oh I see so that means they won´t come back until tomorrow…"

"Think so…"

"Hmm alright then I have to wait for them but I got a little present for you!"

With a light surprised expression he raised his brows and I took a scroll out of my bag which I gave him then.

"Since you possess the Sharingan I thought you would like to know more about it and this scroll will give you some more informations about it."

"Thanks…"

He lightly smirked and I was glad that he liked it. Then I went into my old room and took the light on.

"Ahhh I´m so glad that we´re back…"

I let myself fall down on my bed and snuggled my head on the pillow. _So soft…_

The next day Sasuke, Aoi and I were in a room while I became more and more unpatient. _When will they come? I want to give them their presents as well…_

Aoi crawled carefully to Sasuke and this time he didn´t push him away. He even stroked over his head which surprised me a bit.

"Since when do you like Snakes?"

"It´s not that I like them but over the last years I got used to them…"

"I see…"

A bit more time passed and I laid myself on my belly with Aoi laying on my back. My eyes were closed as I suddenly heard footsteps. Immediately I sat up and looked straight out to the door and then they came in.

Kabuto´s P.O.V

We came back to the hideout with this boy called Sai. When we came in we saw Sasuke sitting there but I also noticed somebody else. _Is that…?_

"Orochimaru-sama! Kabuto!"

Before I even had the chance to wink, Sakuya was standing infront of us and my heart skipped a beat while I also had to smile when I saw her.

"I´m back!"

With a bright smile she looked at us and Orochimaru smirked.

"Well it took you pretty long. Were you succesful?"

"Of course I was! And also here-"

She gave him a scroll and he opened it. His expression seemed pleased after he was done and I wondered what was written in there.

"I see so now you´re an official member and Otogakure is officially "your" Village."

"Yes and I hope that you still want me…"

"Sure, before two years you did a really good job so it would be stupid if I send you away."

He then also gave me a glance. _What was that supposed to mean…?_

"I have something else for you Orochimaru-sama!"

Grinning she took another scroll out of her bag and gave it to him.

"Since I know you´re always looking for some forbidden Jutsu´s I thought this would be a good present…"

"Hmmm it´s nice. Thank you."

She seemed to be happy that he liked it and then she turned to me. Her beautiful brown eyes had a soft glance inside and I felt how my heart started beating faster.

"I missed you Kabuto…"

While she said that she blushed a little bit.

"I- I´m also glad that you´re back…"

I whispered because I didn´t want everybody to hear it. Then she started examing Sai who was just standing there with a dumb fake smile. Sakuya smiled at him and held out her hand.

"Hello my name is Sakuya! And who are you?"

"I´m Sai… Well I already know you."

Surprised she looked at him but he had still the same expression.

"Really? From where?"

" Just from rumors about a girl that was accepted as one of "The 9 Lights of the Shinobi World" even though she became a Criminal. If I´m honest when I first heard about that I couldn´t imagine that it was true but as I see now it is real… Seems like they aren´t very choosy with their members when they even took you."

_Did I just hear right?!_

"Hey who do you think you´re talking t-"

She stopped me from ending my sentence and smiled at him again.

"That´s just your opinion, I don´t really care for that. Beside that I don´t see it as a crime when I try to save my inoccent brother."

"Oh right that little thief who died before he was able to escape. Well it was better like that, he didn´t deserve it any better. Criminals are all the same and they should all be punished."

When he said that it was as if time had stood still. Even Orochimaru and Sasuke looked shocked and lightly angry at Sai, who just talked without any kind of respect about Sakuya´s dead brother Ame. I was speechless and hold my breath because I thought Sakuya would probably kill him but she was still smiling.

All of a sudden she walked a few steps closer to him, then just a few inches away from each other while Aoi then wrapped himself around Sai´s throat ,very tight so that he couldn´t breath anymore. He fell down to the ground and tried to get him off but Aoi was way too strong. Sakuya, still having this disturbing smile on her lips, was standing above him.

"I don´t really mind if you say something stupid or even something disrespectful about me but-"

Now she glanced at him and the look in her eyes made even me shiver a little bit.

"If you ever dare taking even Ame´s name in your mouth again, I swear I´ll kill you with my bare hands and the last thing you´ll see then will be the face of a Criminal! So do you have anything else to say?"

He seemed to shake his head and Sakuya gave Aoi a sign to let go. Aoi wrapped himself around her waist again and Sakuya looked scornful down to Sai.

"Even Aoi could kill you without any problems so you would be no match for me. Never forget that…"

She took a deep breath and looked then again to Orochimaru and me.

"I´ll go now and see if the Village is still alright… I´ll see you later and Kabuto you´ll get your present later on as well."

I looked after her until she was gone and I would´ve liked to kill that guy just here and now. _How dare he talking to her like this?! If he just says some other stupid stuff about her or Ame I can´t gurantee that I won´t kill him myself…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

My thoughts were somewhere else while I walked into the direction of the Village. Aoi seemed to notice my lightly angry expression and licked over my face. I sighed and smiled slightly at him.

"Yes you´re right, I shouldn´t be angry because of such scum like him… Oh and also you did very well Aoi!"

I patted his head and he hissed. _Well I assume he won´t say anything else about Ame ever again so it´s fine…_

~ a few hours later ~

"My god it´s like there are now even more Criminals than before!"

Aoi nooded and I took a deep breath.

"You know I somekind of missed this work even though it´s hard…"

When we entered the hideout I immediately smelled something strange.

"Hey Aoi don´t you think this smells like smoke?"

With a confused expression I looked at him and he nooded. I continued walking and was then standing infront of a big hole in the wall.

"Uhm seems like we missed something…"

"Indeed…"

Teriffied I turned around and looked at Kabuto.

"What the hell happened here?"

After he told me what happened I was a bit angry.

"So that guy betrayed you? Tz I could´ve told you that from the very beginning!"

"Well can´t help it now… but we moved to another hideout and I waited for you to show you where it is…"

He lightly smiled and my mood became better.

"That´s nice… Alright I´ll just get my stuff from my room and we can go."

Kabuto´s P.O.V

After she got her things we started walking into the direction of the other hideout as I suddenly became pretty curious because she said she had a present for me.

"So what is the present?"

She stopped walking and grinned.

"Well if you want it then do something for it."

"And what?"

Then she jumped up on a tree and smirked provocative down on me.

"Catch me if you can!"

First a little bit confused I watched her as she started jumping from tree to tree but then I had to smirk myself. _Fine if she want it like this!_

I followed her and catched nearly up with her.

"Seems like you´re faster than in the past. Well that means for me I can use my normal speed now…"

Just a second later she was further away from me but I wouldn´t give up now. _She may be fast but I´m not a slug as well!_

A few minutes later we reached a huge rockface and she was standing infront of it. With a smirk on my face I jumped down from the tree and was standing a few meters away from her.

"You´re at a death end, that means I got you!"

She also put a smirk on her face.

"I don´t think so…"

Without any problems she walked a few steps up the Rockface and then she made a somersault above my head. She was running into the woods again and I was standing there for a second. _It´s harder to catch her than I thought…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

While I ran away I had to laugh loudly. _It´s fun to do this with him!_

After a while I turned around but I couldn´t see him anymore. I jumped down the tree and was now standing on the ground again, looking around if I could see him.

"Well I guess that means I won. Don´t you think so Aoi?"

But before he could give me an answer I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around.

"Got you!"

"Damn it I was unconcentrated for a second!"

With a winner smile he looked at me and I grinned.

"Seems like you won…"

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Lightly excited I watched her as she took two things out of her bag. The first one was a big Book and the other one was a black case.

"So first here-"

She gave me the book.

"Since you´re so interested in the human body I thought this is something you´re interested in. It´s a book full with informations about it, old ones and new ones. And this-"

Now she gave me the black case.

"Open it…"

She gave me a beautiful smile and I carfully opened it and was agape.

"A- Are those…?"

"Yes! Stainless steel Scalpels!"

"Wow I´m speechless…"

With wide eyes I examined them. _How did she know that I wanted some of them?_

"So do you like them?"

I closed the case, walked closer to her with a smile on my face and embraced her tightly.

"I love them…"


	28. Results and a new Mission

Sakuya´s P.O.V

Happy that Kabuto liked the presents I had for him, we continued our way to the other hideout. It was a good feeling to be with him again but then suddenly something came to my mind.

"Say Kabuto…"

"Hm?"

He looked at me and I became a bit nervous.

"Uhm are we- I mean uhm- are we friends again?"

This question seemed to surprise him and he blushed a little bit.

"Oh uhm I- I guess we are…"

Relieved and also glad that he finally saw me as his friend again I had to smile and Kabuto smiled lightly as well. I had to admit that I missed him in those two years very much, especially after this night in the woods. My feelings for him grew even stronger and I often asked myself if he felt the same towards me or if I really just was his friend. _But I guess I have to give him some more time to think about his feelings…_

Then he asked me out about my training in the past two years and also about the women Ame mentioned in his letter. Naru was a 30 years old, black haired women who was really obstinate but also a very good Sensei in my eyes. So I told Kabuto about her and how I needed nearly two months before she agreed to train me. After I convinced her she said we would need to travel during our training time and that was why I needed two years to come back.

"But if I´m honest she tought me a lot of cool things and I mean not only Jutsus…"

"So you were able to learn this forbidden Technique your Brother stole for you?"

"Yes."

"Can you show it to me?"

Curious he looked down at me but I shaked my head.

"It´s a bit complicated to use and not really something I can just show you like that…"

"Why not?"

He raised his brows but I didn´t want to tell him the real reson why and just shrugged.

"I just can´t… but I can show you another one I learnd."

I made handsigns and laid my hand then on a small tree while Kabuto watched me from a bit further away. First it seemed like nothing happened but then the tree started burning and just one moment later he turned into ashes.

"Wow interesting…"

"Yes but I can only use it on things like trees or doors, sometimes even on Rocks but not always and humans can´t be affected by it or at least not that Naru told me that…"

"I see so it´s probably useful to enter somebodys, lets say, hideout when the door is locked."

"Right."

"Something else what you can show me?"

"Hmm wait I have improved my Fire wall Jutsu and can use it now without making any handsigns AND I can use it for at least ten minutes before I have to stop."

I gave him a sign to come a bit closer and we then were surounded by a wall made of fire. It was larger than before and also hotter which made it nearly impossible to go through there, except somebody was able to use a Jutsu with which he could go through fire. Kabuto seemed to be lightly impressed and I let the wall disappear again.

"Seems like your training was a success."

"Yes it really was!"

We continued our way back to the hideout and I also asked him if Souji and Junichi did a good job.

"They are good but uhm well I guess Souji still has a problem with me…"

"Why?"

"Well he warned me that if I ever lay just a finger on you he´ll kill me…"

I had to laugh and thought that Souji really was a bit too caring about me. Of course I understood that he saw Kabuto as some kind of Rival, but still he had to accept the fact that I liked him a lot and that this wouldn´t change.

"Don´t take him too serious…"

"I know…"

When we reched the hideout and went to Orochimaru´s room there were also Junichi and Souji in there and I became really enthused again.

"Sister! I´m so glad that you´re back!"

Souji was embracing me tightly so that it was hard to breath, but I found it cute how much he must have missed me.

"Sakuya-san how was your training?"

Junichi asked curiously.

"It was good and successful! And how is it to work for Orochimaru-sama?"

"Not as bad as I thought, if I´m honest I really like to work here with Souji-san and Kabuto-san."

He smiled and I smiled as well because I was glad that they seemed to feel confortable in here. Orochimaru also wanted to know a bit more about my training and I told him nearly everything about it. _Well I can´t tell him everything…_

It became evening and I helped Kabuto while he prepeard dinner. I missed it to cook and also to do some other things I had to do here.

"You really don´t have to help me. It´s your first day back so relax a little bit…"

"No I don´t mind doing that and I really missed the housework…"

Later on, after we were done with Dinner and also with doing the dishes, I went to my new room and laid down in my bed. _Hmmm I´m so tired…_

Aoi snuggled on me and I nearly fell asleep but then somebody knocked on my door.

"Yes?"

It was Kabuto with the book I gave him under his arm and a light smirk on his lips.

"Oh I´m sorry did I wake you up?"

"No it´s fine…"

I sat up and yawned while I was pretty curious what he wanted from me. He sat down on my bed and opened the book at the first page.

"Well the last time you seemed to be pretty interested in my book so I thought you want to read this one with me as well."

Smirking he looked at me and I was lightly confused and agape. _Is he kidding?_

"Uhm you mean now?"

"Of course."

Since I endured this hell torment the last time only because I wanted to share time with him I didn´t really wanted to do that a second time, especially when I was tired as hell. _But on the other hand he came here himself this time and this has to mean HE wants to share time with me…_

"Alright why not…"

With doubts inside I agreed and he seemed to be lightly surprised but also pleased. I asked him to read it out loud and as he read I felt how my eyes became heavier and heavier until I couldn´t hold them open any longer and fell asleep. _Blah Blah Blah…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

While I was reading out loud the content of the book I suddenly noticed that Sakuya had been fallen asleep and laid on her pillow. _Why doesn´t this surprise me…_

I came here in the first place because I missed her in those two years a lot and wanted nothing more than sharing time with her. But then again I still had doubts because I didn´t know what would happen if this closeness between us would come back. _Is it even possible for her and me to be… together?_

A light sigh came out of my mouth but then I had to smile while I watched her sleeping. Then I felt how Aoi wrapped himself around me and looked at me with a happy look. It seemed like he noticed that my feelings for her had come back and I knew that this was something he really appreciated as well since we were his "parents" in one way.

Carefully I stood up, laid the blanket over her and then slightly stroked a wisp out of her face. Her blonde hair became a bit longer since the last time I saw her and I also noticed something on her right arm. _Is this a tattoo?_

The character for "9" was written there and I thought this must have been something that showed people that she was a real member of that group. Quietly I walked out of her room and took the light off.

Sakuya´s P.O.V

When I woke up the next morning I remembered that I just fell asleep while Kabuto was still reading to me. _Oh shit I hope he isn´t mad at me now…_

So I stood up, dressing me in my kimono like red short sleeveless tunic, my short black pants and some black Ninja sandals.I grabbed my black cape and carried it under my arm because I would need it later on when I was on my patrol through the Village. Aoi, wrapped around my waist as always, seemed to be hungry and we then went to the kitchen where Kabuto was already prepearing breakfast.

"Good Morning."

"Good Morning."

He was smirking again and this time I knew why. _Probably because yesterday evening…_

I sat down at the kitchen table and thought about something.

"Say Kabuto do you have something to do today?"

"No I´ve been done with my paperwork and Orochimaru-sama didn´t give me another mission yet… Why?"

"Do you want to accompany me during my patrol through the Village?"

He seemed to though about it for a second and nooded.

"Yes sure, why not."

During midday we were walking through the Village and everything seemed to be alright there. Nobody caused trouble at the moment so it was more like we were taking a walk through the Village. Aoi was this time wrapped around Kabuto´s waist and he seemed to enjoy it that Kabuto had become more normal towards him again.

After we were done, we sat down on a bench and enjoyed the beautiful day. The sun was shining, it was warm and a slight breeze blew. I looked beside me at Kabuto and had suddenly a strange thought. _I wonder if people may could think we have a Date at the moment when they see us together…_

Kabuto, who noticed that I was starring at him for a while, also turned to me and raised his brows.

"Is something the matter?"

I lightly blushed and shaked my head.

"N- No it´s nothing I was just lost in my thoughts…"

Suddenly there appeard out of nowhere two cloaked persons infront of us. Kabuto and I stood immediately up, prepeard to fight if it was neccesary, but then one of them spoke.

"Keep calm it´s just us-"

When they took their hoods down I became lightly annoyed when I saw who it was. Mamoru and Hikaru, also members of "The 9 lights of the Shinobi World". Mamoru was a tall, 28 years old men with dark brown hair and also dark brown eyes. He was used to be the Leaders right hand man, but was often send to missions with Hikaru. Hikaru was a 20 years old men with slight silver hair and ice blue eyes. He didn´t talk that much and avoided eye contact with others that´s why I thought he is neither very shy or just arrogant.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Well can´t we just visit our lovely Newbie?"

Mamoru laid his arm around me and smirked but I immediately wrenched it away. Kabuto seemed to dislike it as well because he glanced at him.

"I really doubt that you just came here to visit me. So what is the real reason?"

He sighed and took a scroll out of his bag.

"You know you don´t always have to be so serious… Well we came here because we have a Mission for you."

"A Mission?"

"Yes. Didn´t we tell you that you also have to take on Missions from us?"

"No I guess you missed that part…"

"Whatever do you take it on or not?"

He raised his brows.

"What kind of Mission is it?"

"Just protecting somebody that is all."

"Fine I´ll do it…"

I took the scroll out of his hand and started reading it while Kabuto also leand to me to read it as well. When I looked up again they were gone.

"What kind of idiots were those two?"

Kabuto asked curiously.

"Just members of the Organization, but it´s not like I like them that much…"

"Obviously…"

He smirked and I sighed.

"Seems like I have to leave again…"


	29. A Priestess in need

Sakuya´s P.O.V

"I know that I just came back but I can´t change it now…"

Everybody was a bit annoyed from the fact that I had to leave again though I just came back by now. Especially Orochimaru seemed to dislike it since that meant I couldn´t take care of the Village.

"Why do you have to take on missions from them? Isn´t it your task to take care of Otogakure?"

"I thought that as well but it seems like I have to take on Missions for them as well…"

I gave Orochimaru the scroll in which the Mission was written in and he read it.

"So you have to protect a Priestess who seems to be in danger?"

"Yes…"

"Well sounds not very sophisticated but if you have no other choice…"

When I looked beside me, at Kabuto, I suddenly had the wish that he would accompany me. _Should I ask?_

"Uhm something else Orochimaru-sama…"

"What?"

"Is it possible that Kabuto could come with me?"

Confused he looked at me while Kabuto seemed to be surprised and confused at once.

"That isn´t really something you couldn´t handle on you own so why would you want him to come with you?"

"Because uhm that´s also a rule…"

"So?"

"Yes I need at least one companion when I have to go to missions…"

"Is this also something those guys from your organization told you`?"

I nooded and hoped that Kabuto wouldn´t tell him that nobody ever said something like this. Orochimaru looked concerned at me but then he sighed.

"Fine he can go with you… not like he has anything better to do at the moment anyways… Do you accept Kabuto?"

"Oh uhm sure…"

After we went out of Orochimaru´s office, Kabuto had a questioning look.

"What was that for? Why did you lie and why should I accompany you?"

"It´s just-"

While talking I blushed because it was a bit emberassing.

"I was so happy that I could finally share some time with you again and now I would´ve to go again for who knows how long… I just wanted to be uhm together with you…"

Surprised he also blushed and scrached his head.

"I- I see…"

"I hope this is okay with you…"

Nervously I starred to the ground, waiting for him to give me an answer.

"Oh uhm yes it is since- I mean since this is also what I want… I guess…"

The next morning we went away and I was happy that he came with me. _I bet we will have a lot of fun!_

The Shinto shrine where the young Priestess would be waiting for us laid near the hidden leaf Village so we needed a half day to arrive there. When we arrived there and went in, an old man welcomed us.

"So you must be the guards for our dear Priestess."

"Right."

"Then follow me I´ll show you your room and also give you some other clothes to wear."

The old men then introduced himself as Daichi and the Priestess, called Ayame, was his daugther. He explained that somebody had the intentions to kidnap her for an unknown reason and since there would be soon a Festival where she had to perform a Ritual dance this could be dangerous for her and that´s why he ordered us here.

"Here you go, I hope you don´t mind sharing a room together."

"No we don´t mind…"

I smiled at him and he gave us some other clothes. When he was gone Kabuto lightly pulled a face.

"Why do we have to change clothes?"

"I don´t know but we shouldn´t complain about it…"

For changing clothes I told Kabuto to go outside until I was done. So I took them on and wondered after I was done why I wore a traditional Priestess outfit. Red long, divided trousers, a white Kimono jacket and white ribbons for my hair. I made my hair into a Ponytail and then called Kabuto to come in again.

"Why are you dressed like a Priestess?"

He examined me and I shrugged.

"I don´t know maybe they don´t have any other clothes for women in here…"

After Kabuto was done I came in and he seemed to be lightly annoyed.

"Why do I have to wear this?"

He wore nearly the same outfit as me except that his trousers were blue and his kimono jacket also was a light blue. I giggled while I thought that he looked cute.

"It doesn´t look so bad so why are you complaining?"

"Because I feel like a fool…"

"You don´t have to you really look uhm cute…"

I said while patting his head. Immediately he blushed and looked down to the ground. We then were waiting for Daichi to come back and tell us what our tasks were.

"Well the young Priestess wants to tell it to you personally so please follow me…"

He guided us to another room and Aoi, who came with us as well, pressed me in my opinion a bit too tight. _What is wrong with him? Since we arrived here he´s somekind of clinging… or let´s say way more clinging than her normally is…_

When we entered a bright room where a young women with blonde hair, just like mine, was sitting in I thought she must have been the Priestess. _Since she´s also wearing a Priestess outfit…_

"Welcome you two!"

She greeted us with a smile and Kabuto and I kneeled down infront of her.

"I´m glad that you´re here but I never thought they would send a girl…"

The sound of her voice sounded like she was thinking about something but then her father interrupted.

"Well Ayame don´t you want to tell those two why they´re here?"

"Yes right… So it was maybe one month ago when somebody tried to kidnap me while I was asleep. Thanks god my guards were able to save me but now I have the bad suspecion that he will try it again on the Festival when I have to perform my Ritual dance…"

"I see… We´ll do our best to keep you safe!"

"I´m sure about that but-"

Her eyes examined me from top to bottom.

"Can´t you imagine replacing me?"

"What?"

Kabuto, Daichi and I said at the same time.

"Ayame what are you talking about?"

"Well father you see I´m scared and I wouldn´t be concentrated while dancing because I would fear somebody trys to kidnap me. So I thought this young women could do it for me…"

While I thought about it and the Priestess looked at me with hope filled eyes, Kabuto suddenly interrupted the silence.

"I really don´t understand why you would want her as your replacement. She is neither a Priestess nor could I imagine her to practice a Ritual dance."

"And why not?"

I asked lightly insulted.

"You are uhm-"

He seemed to recognize that he must be carful with what he would say next and stuttered.

"I- I just wanted to say uhm t- that you uhm we- well that you-"

Angrily I hit him on the head.

"Ouch! Why did you do that?"

"Because you think that I´m a bumpkin!"

"I never said that!"

"It was what you wanted to say…"

"So uhm-"

Ayame looked at us.

"Are you willing to do it or not?"

"Yes I am."

Later on, when it became evening, Kabuto and I were in our room and he still had doubts about my decision for replacing Ayame. I sighed and thought that it was time to tell him some more about my training with Naru.

"Naru herself was a Priestess and liked to add some, let´s say, priestess stuff into my training. So she ordered me once to learn this one Ritual dance since she thought this would help to be in a better rhythm with my Chakra…"

"You already know how to perform it?"

"Yes… that´s why I agreed."

"Makes sense…"

Well but I somekind of have a strange feeling about that…"Is something wrong?"

Kabuto must have noticed my thoughful expression but I just said that I feel tired since I didn´t want to make him worry or anything. It was already dark outside so we laid down on our futons and tried to sleep.

After a while I heard Kabuto slightly snorring and also Aoi, who laid beside me, had been fallen asleep. I was looking out of the window and had still a strange feeling inside. _Something is wrong here I can feel it but what is it?_

Since I wasn't able to find some sleep I stood quietly up and opened the sliding door. The moon was hidden behind some clouds so it was nearly totally dark outside. Everything was quiet and I couldn´t see anybody suspecious. I walked a bit further into the direction of the Priestess room but also here was nothing that looked like an enemy. I wanted to walk back into my room as I suddenly heard a noise from behind the shrubbery in the garden that laid infront of me.

Without any hesitation I walked a bit closer there, feeling the wet gras under my feet while the bad feeling inside of me became stronger with every step. A slight shiver went through my body when I reached it and I carfully examined what laid behind the shrubbery.

Lightly terrified, as I suddenly noticed golden eyes glarring at me, I walked a few steps back but then it just turned out to be a black cat. I took a deep breath and wondered why I was so anxious since we arrived here. Leaving the negative feeling behind I kneeled down and started stroking the Cat as I suddenly heard somebody screaming. It was just damped but still loud enough for me to hear.

Immediately I ran into the direction of Ayame´s room where I then saw a cloaked figure with Ayame laid over his shoulder. Her mouth was tied shut with something like a scarf, making her unable to scream for help but she still was awake since I saw her struggling. When she noticed me her eyes widened and also the person turned now to me but because of the hood I was not able to see his face.

Using my speed I was standing infront of him within a second and punched him in the face. Ayame fell down to the ground, letting out a light cry when I heard it right.

"Are you hurt?"

I took the scarf off and she was able to speak again.

"No I´m fine… Thank you!"

The mysterious person then ran away but I followed him. He went into the woods and disappeard then all of a sudden. Before I went back I examined the surrounding so that I was sure he had been gone.

When I went back was Ayame back in her room and I went in, then asking her if she had seen the persons face.

"No but now you see that I´m really in danger!"

"I never disbelieved you…"

Since I was pretty sure that he won´t come back this night I left her on her own again. _Why did I have such a bad feeling while this person was near?_


	30. Dancing Flame

Kabuto´s P.O.V

When I woke up the next morning because of the sun that shone through the window, I sat up and streched myself as I suddenly noticed that Sakuya wasn´t laying on her futon. I saw that she was leaning against the wall near the door, sleeping. The door also was open and I wondered why. _Did something happen?_

Lightly confused I walked over to her and shaked her to wake her up. She slowly opened her eyes and yawned.

"Why are you sleeping here?"

It seemed like she still was half asleep and she just shrugged.

"I wanted to be sure that Ayame won´t get kidnapped…"

"Did anybody try to do it?"

She nooded.

"Why didn´t you wake me up then?"

"There was no need for that…"

All of a sudden she leand herself a bit forward and placed her head on my chest which made me blush.

"W- What are you doing?"

"It´s cozy to lean on you…"

My heart started pounding faster as she then snuggled her head a bit more on my chest, but I then took a step to the side and let her fall down on the floor.

"Ouch…"

"You can sleep later on… Beside that I´m not your pillow…"

It wasn´t that I disliked it when she was close to me, but still it was unusual to be close to another person like this for me. While stroking her head she stood back up, but looked like she was still pretty tired.I wondered what exactly happened last night.

"A cloaked person tried to kidnap her and I stopped him, that was all…"

"So you were awake the whole Night to make sure he doesn´t come back?"

"Yes…"

"You Idiot! We could have alternate after a few hours and you wouldn´t be so tired yet!"

"No need to become angry…"

She walked a bit further away from me as she suddenly started undressing herself. Immediately I turned around and held my hands infront of my eyes while I blushed furiously.

"W- Why are you doing this when I´m still inside?"

"Oh sorry I forgot…"

A few minutes past until she was done and I turned around again. She was lightly smirking.

"So how about you take your clothes off now?"

Emberassed I tossed her out and she laughed loudly. I closed the door and sighed. _Am I taking it too serious again?_

A bit later came Daichi who brought us some breakfast and also thanked Sakuya for her help last night.

"It´s my Mission to take care of her so no need to thank me…"

After the breakfast I stood up and walked outside into the garden. Sakuya followed me and stood then beside me.

"It´s nice here…"

"Indeed…"

Aoi crawled on the ground, but then wrapped himself around my waist. He licked over my face and Sakuya giggled again. With a soft glance in her eyes she then walked into the direction of the Priestess room. When I arrived there as well they were talking about the Festival which would take place tomorrow evening.

"So you said you already know how to perform it right?"

"Yes my Sensei tought it to me."

"Great! That means there is no problem for you replacing me! But wait-"

Ayame jumped up and ran to her closet, looking for something as it seemed.

"Hmm… Oh yes this will fit you perfectly!"

With a bright smile on her face she gave Sakuya a red Kimono with an organge sash. Sakuya looked a bit perplexed at the garment and then at Ayame.

"I have to wear this?" 

"Of course! And here some shoes you can wear!"

Now she gave her wooden sandals with a pretty high plateau and Sakuya´s expression seemed to be lightly despaired. _Hehehe don´t tell me she has problems to walk in high shoes…_

While I was very amused about this situation, the young priestess then told Sakuya also she would do her hair tomorrow evening. After we went out again I had to chuckle a little bit and she then gave me a death glance.

"Don´t you dare laughing about me…"

"S- Sorry…"

I had to suppress my laugher and we then went back into our room. She took those shoes on and started walking or in my opinion stumbleing. It looked funny and I couldn´t change the fact that it made me laugh.

"Instead of sitting there and laughing like an Idiot you could come here and help me!"

Obviously she was lightly annoyed so I stood up and placed myself infront of her a few steps away. She took one step after the other but tripped and fell into my arms.

"It´ll not work like this…"

"So what are you gonna do then?"

I asked her while she was holding tight on my arm.

"Hmmm…"

All of a sudden she mumbled something I didn´t understand and after taking those shoes off she ran to the door.

"I´ll come back later on until then take care of Ayame!"

Then she went away with those shoes under her arm and I wondered what she wanted to do. _Well I´ll see it sooner or later…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

_Those damn shoes!_

Everything could be easy, but no, of course I must perform this dance in damn high shoes. I was pretty pissed because of that but then I remembered back on my training with Naru.

She was pretty strict and wanted me to learn this dance perfectly. I never really was a dancer so it was hard at the beginning.

"You´re way too stiff!"

Angrily she walked over to me and grabbed my hands and moved them slightly back and forth.

"You have to be a bit more loose…"

"I know…"

"Imagine yourself like a Flame that dances in the wind…"

"Sounds pretty poetic…"

I had to laugh and she hit me on my head. Never could I have imagined that this would really helpe me to be more relaxed while dancing. After a few hours I finally made it and she was pleased.

Now I was standing on a little meadow and took the shoes back on. _Just think you´re a flame that dances in the wind…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

The sun was already setting as I was still sitting infront of Ayame´s door. I wondered where Sakuya was at since it had been now a few hours since she went away. _I hope she didn´t hurt herself with those shoes…_

Aoi snuggled on my cheek and I stroked over his head. Suddenly the door behind me opened and Ayame was standing there.

"Don´t you want to come in?"

"Uhm sure why not…"

I stood up and walked behind her into the room where I then sat down. She sat infront of me and had a light smirk on her face.

"So is this young women you girlfriend?"

"W- What?"

"Well I just thought she maybe is because it seems like you´re getting a bit nervous because she´s still not back and also you two had no problem to share a room…"

Slightly blushed I shaked my head.

"We´re just friends…"

"Hmmm you would make a cute couple…"

She giggled and I looked to the ground. _Would we?_

All of a sudden the door opened and Sakuya smiled at us. Her clothes were a bit dirty as if she had been fallen to the ground.

"I´m back and I made it!"

Aoi crawled over the floor and to Sakuya, wrapping himself around her waist as usual and licking over her face.

"Yes I missed you too…"

Later we were again sitting in our room and I asked her what she had been doing while she was away.

"Well you´ll see it tomorrow…"

"Oh come on give me at least a little tip…"

"Imagine me like a dancing flame…"

Confused I looked at her and she giggled.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

She then laid her hand on my head and smiled brightly.

"Don´t be so curious…" 


	31. In the captivity of a Demon?

Kabuto´s P.O.V

The next day went by pretty fast and I had to admit that I was really excited because of her performance. It became evening and a lot of people had been coming to watch the show. I was standing in the first row just for the case that something would happen during the show. Ayame and her father said that they would go somewhere else until the show was over just that nobody would become suspecious.

Suddenly everything became dark and just a few torches were standing on the stage. Then Sakuya came out and I was agape. _S- She looks beautiful…_

I felt how I blushed as I examined her. She wore the red Kimono with the orange sash and those colors were fitting her perfectly. Her hair was made into a bun but two wisps were loose, one on each side of her head. It was just a perfect picture to see her like this and as she then smiled smootly down to the crowd, we suddenly made eye contact for a few seconds. There was a sparkle in her eyes which made my heart beating so fast that I feard it would jump out of my chest every moment. _I think I just realized by now how lovely she really looks like…_

As she then started dancing I was thrilled again. Those lithe movements of hers really reminded me of a flame that was dancing in the wind. Also the shoes weren´t disturbing her in any kind of way. She made a really good performance and the other people seemed to like it as well. After she was done everybody clapped in their hands and she had a happy and pleased expression on her face.

She wanted to go down the stage as suddenly somebody threw smoke bombs in the crowd. The people got panic and ran around in wild confusion. Immediately I jumped on the stage, but I was already too late. Sakuya wasn´t there anymore.

"Aoi can you smell where she has been gone?"

He sniffed around, but then shaked his head.

"Damn it!"

_Don´t worry Sakuya I´ll find you somehow!_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

Before I was able to left the stage suddenly everything was covered in smoke and I was knocked out from behind. When I was able to open my eyes again I felt that I was laying on a hard ground. My wrists and ankles were tied and also my mouth was tied shut. I tried to free myself and struggled but it had no use. _Where am I? This looks like somekind of cave…_

It was dark and cold in there, but something was lighting up the whole cave. As I looked around I noticed a lake with pale blue water that shone pretty bright. I assumed that this was the light source. Able to sat up I could now examine the cave a bit better and wondered where my kidnapper was at. _If it was the same person who tried to kidnap Ayame shouldn´t he be able to recognize me? But on the other hand it was dark so he maybe can´t…_

"Oh look who´s finally awake…"

A deep voice spoke to me and from the shadows there appeard now a men. He had white short hair and golden glowing eyes. A shiver went through my whole body as I saw him and when I felt his presence. _Is it this guy from that Night?_

"It was harder to cough you than I thought, but well now I finally got you…"

With a disturbing smirk he looked down to me and I finally realized that I really was scared of him. Normally I was pretty cool even when I faced a strong enemy but, I didn´t know why, he was different. _Those eyes… they´re not the eyes of a human being…_

He then kneeled down to me and made me face him while grabbing me on my chin.

"So now let me tell you what I want from you little Priestess. You´ll tell me now where the Diamond is hidden where my Powers are sealed in."

Confused I looked at him as he then removed the cloth from my mouth.

"I don´t know what you´re talking about…"

Sighing he stood back up and kicked me then brutally in my belly. I fell to the side and had to breath hard.

"I´ll ask you again: Where is it hidden?!"

"I don´t know…"

He kicked me again and again, making me spit blood.

"Listen Priestess-"

Rudely he grabbed me on my hair and dragged me into a kneeling position.

"Your damn Grandmother spellbound my demonic power inside of this Diamond and only the current Priestess can tell me where it is hidden. It took me nearly 20 years before I was able to find the Shrine where it must be hidden at so stop trying to be brave and tell me where it is!"

I shaked my head and he punched me in the face. My nose started bleeding and he also started kicking me again. _Please Kabuto hurry…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

"Sakuya?"

I was looking everywhere near the Shrine, but nowhere was a sign from her. Angrily I punched against a tree and clenched my teeth. _Where could she be? I hope she is alright…_

Suddenly Aoi started hissing and pointed with his tail into the left direction.

"But we already were looking there…"

He didn´t stop hissing and I thought that I maybe failed to see something. We went into the direction he showed me and then I was standing infront of a big cave. The entrance was blocked from a large boulder.

"And now?"

Aoi let himself slide down to the ground and then slipped through a little opening inside of the cave.

"Hey Aoi wait!?"

_Damn I have to find another entrance into this cave! Hold on Sakuya!_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

"Ahhh…"

The ground was bloody and I couldn´t move anymore. I felt a bad pain all over my body, but this guy didn´t show any mercy towards me. Lightly despaired I closed my eyes and hoped that Kabuto would show up very soon. _Please…_

"Tz if I continue I guess I´ll beat you to death so I´ll give you a few minutes to think about the location of the Diamond. And you better tell me where it is when I come back…"

He went away and I was laying on the ground. Suddenly I heard a strange noise coming into my direction and recognized it as hissing. _Aoi!?_

Not able to tell how happy I was to see him now, he crawled towards me and licked over my face.

"Do you think you can free me from those ropes?"

He nooded and meandered behind me. I felt how he started biting into the ropes, but then something else came into my mind.

"Aoi is Kabuto here as well?"

I turned my head around and he nooded again. After a few minutes he was done and I was able to move my hands again. Then I untied my ankles as well and tried to stand up while I had to cough. _My body is hurting badly but it is bearable…_

"And now?"

The cave seemed to be huge and I tried to find a hiding place. _I can´t fight him now or everything was for nothing and also it is hard to move at the moment…_

There was a huge rock and we hide behind it. I suddenly heard footsteps and a loud sigh.

"Okay where are you hiding? Do you really believe I won´t find you? I´ll make you suffer even more…"

He said with a threatening voice. Fear spread inside of me and I begged that he wouldn´t find me until Kabuto arrived here as well. My heart pounded faster as I heard the footsteps coming closer and closer. All of a sudden he grabbed me on my hair and dragged me behind him, then I laid on my back and he stomped on my belly.

"You really are dumb to believe that you could escape me…"

I closed my eyes and made a decision. _I have no other choice I can´t wait for Kabuto any longer!_

Quickly I made handsigns and spit fire directly in his face. He screamed out in pain and I jumped up from the floor. My ribs were hurting badly and I thought that they must have been crushed. _That damn Bastard!_

Holding the right side of his face, he glanced angry at me and yelled:

"Who are you bitch?"

"Non of your business."

Now that I had no other choice than fighting him I ripped the lower part of my Kimono away so that I was able to move more freely. Then I ran towards him, punching him a few times pretty hard and at the end I kicked him against the wall. As I watched him how he stood up again I noticed a smirk on his face.

"Do you really think with your light hits you could beat me?"

While glarring at me with those terrifiying eyes of his, he then made handsigns. _I thought he said he is a Demon? Do they also possess Chakra?_

Alert I looked around but nothing happened and I wondered what those handsigns were for. All of a sudden I felt how something was wrapped around my body, but I couldn´t see anything. It wasn´t Aoi because he was still on the ground and it then tore me down to the floor. I started struggling, but it had no use. The Demon then walked over to me and looked down with an arrogant look. The right side of his face was burned and I wondered if he didn´t feel any pain.

"So it´s my turn again, but now that I know you´re not the real priestess I can kill you without any hesitation and be sure that you´ll suffer…"

I couldn´t move because something had tied me down again but what? _And how should I free myself from something I couldn´t see?_

He then picked up a stone from the ground and threw it into the lake. When it landed inside of the water there was suddenly a sizzling noise and steam rose to the ceiling.

"That´s an Acid lake and I´m now asking myself with which part of your body we should start… Maybe your face so that we´ll look alike?"

While he heaved me up from the ground I became despaired. _Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!_

Since I couldn´t move anything than my head I was then biting in his arm. I tasted his blood in my mouth, but I didn´t care as he then let out a light cry.

"Let go of me or I´ll threw you completely in there!"

I didn´t even think about letting go of him and Aoi wrapped himself around that guys legs. He fell down and I landed rough on the ground.

"Stupid Snake!"

Angrily he grabbed Aoi on his tail and I tried to move, but was still tied from whatever. He then reached out and threw Aoi high up to the ceiling, directly above the acid lake.

"Aoi no!"

Tears were coming into my eyes, but then I heard a voice from above.

"Got you!"

As I looked up I saw Kabuto, hanging upside down from the ceiling and holding Aoi´s tail in his hand. _Oh thanks god!_

Aoi now wrapped himself tightly around Kabuto, who then jumped down and was now standing infront of me and that Demon. Having a menacing look in his eyes he glanced at him and then looked at me. His look suddenly changed as he noticed how done I must have looked and now he seemed to become angry.

"How dare you hurting my friends…"

Kabuto said in a calm, but also scary way. The next thing I knew was that Kabuto attacked him and landed a hit on him. Then he immediately took me up on his arms and brought me a bit further away.

"Are you hurt?"

His dark eyes glanced at me with worry inside, but I shaked my head.

"I´m fine, but take care he is dangerous…"

"Sure…"

With a light smile he sat me carefully down to the ground and then he attacked that guy again. _I´m so glad that he´s here now…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

While using my Chakra Scalpels I was able to land a few hits on him, but he didn´t show any reactions to it. It was like he didn´t feel any pain, but I couldn´t imagine why. _Is he a zombie?_

Somehow he suddenly managed to tear me limb to the ground. He now laid on me and his scary eyes glanced at me and I could see his intentions to kill me. Now he punched a few times in my face, but then I was able to get him off me and started punching at him. We then were rolling over the ground and punched each other as I suddenly noticed that we were rolling closer and closer to that lake. _As I heard right it is a acid lake so I should be careful…_

We were now just a few inches away from it as I suddenly had an idea. He laid on me again and with all my power I pushed him up in the air then kicking him into the lake. Yelling and screaming he made swimming movements, but I could see that the lower part of his body must have been melted by now. Somehow he managed to come back near me, the rest of his body that was left badly disfigured looked awful, but then he suddenly grabbed my ankle. It burned because his hand was covered with acid and he then spoke to me.

"I won´t leave this world without my Power…"

"You have to you wothless being."

I freed my ankle from his grip, placed my foot on his head and kicked him back into the lake. Some screams came from his direction but then everything was silent. _It is over…_


	32. Able to Protect

Sakuya´s P.O.V

Finally I was able to move again, but I still felt a bad pain all over my body. Especially my ribs were hurting like hell. Kabuto walked over to me and kneeled down, then starting to examine my inurys.

"Do you feel a bad pain?"

He asked after he also noticed that my ribs had been crushed.

"No it´s fine…"

"Nothing is fine!"

As he glarred at me now I suddenly saw the sorrow in his eyes.

"If I would´ve come earlier I could´ve stopped him from doing this to you! If I just could´ve stopped him from kidnapping you! If-"

I laid my hand over his mouth and shaked my head.

"It was my decision to replace her and so there was the posibility that I get kidnapped. Also it wasn´t your job to protect me…"

My hand went gently from his mouth to his cheek and I stroked it.

"So please stop feeling guilty for something you couldn´t have changed anyways…"

His eyes widened a little bit and he blushed.

"I just don´t want to see you get hurt…"

He whispered while laying his hand on mine that was still on his cheek. For a moment he closed his eyes, but it seemed like he then realized what exactly we were doing here. His head turned scarlet as I then took my hand away and giggled, but had to stop because I felt pain.

"I´ll bring you back to the Shrine and take care of you then…"

Carefully he heaved me up from the ground and I laid my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It calmed me down and while I concentrated on it I was able to displace the pain I felt a little bit. The Shrine wasn´t that far away and after we arrived there he took care of my injurys.

Ayame and her father then came and apologized a thousand times for what happened. They were so sorry that I had to endure so much pain just because of them, but I smiled.

"It was my job to protect you and I did that. If I get hurt during that time it is my own fault and not yours…"

"You´re so kind!"

She hugged me and I let out a silent scream. After those two were also gone, Kabuto seemed still a bit frustrated so I changed the topic.

"Say did you like my Dance?"

Slightly blushed he nooded.

"Yes you were wonderful…"

That compliment made me also blush a little bit.

"I´m glad…"

"And you also uhm looked very beautiful…"

Now he looked down to the ground with his head covered in red. My heart beat became faster as I heard this word out of his mouth. _Did he just call me… beautiful?_

"Oh uhm thank you…"

Kabuto´s P.O.V

I gave Sakuya some Painkillers and also a sleepingpill so that she could sleep well tonight and won´t wake up because of her pain. It took a bit, but then she finally fell asleep while I still felt bad because of what happened to her. The fact that I wasn´t again able to protect her made me feel useless. _She wanted me to come with her and yet I didn´t do anything!_

Quietly I went out of our room and sat down infront of it, looking up to the sky and being lost in my thoughts. Memorys from the past came back into my mind. Back then Sakuya was also beaten up, but that was my fault. _I didn´t do anything back then…_

It was the time when we began to meet each other and became friends. I wanted to visit them, but Haruhi told me that Sakuya and Ame were in the town food shopping. Since I really wanted to see her I went to the town, looking for them.

While I tried to find them I accidently bumped into a group of teenage boys who smirked down at me with a malice look in their eyes. Lightly afraid I followed them when they said I should come with them until we reached a secluded alley.

"So and now let´s see if you have anything valuable with you…"

They searched through me, but didn´t find anything since I only had money with me when I had to buy something for the orphanage and apart from that I had nothing important with me.

"Tz what a waste of time that boy has absolutely nothing… oh wait…"

One of them then took my glasses up and panic spread inside of me.

"Give them back!"

Lightly surprised they looked at me and I also was bewildered about my loud voice.

"Seems like those glasses really are worth something when he wants them back so badly…."

Laughing they started walking away, but before they were gone one of them slung me brutally against the wall. Despaired I looked after them as suddenly I heard a familiar voice.

"And what are you guys thinking you´re doing here?"

It was Sakuya´s voice, but I couldn´t really see anything that happened since I didn´t have my glasses. I just heard one of them lightly screaming and then she was standing infront of me, giving me my glasses back.

"Are you alright Kabuto?"

She asked with a soft voice and I nooded while taking my glasses back on. It was now the second time she came out of nowhere to save me and I asked myself if she maybe was a guardian angel. Before she could help me getting up again she was grabbed from behind and then pressed against the wall.

Two of those guys were holding tight on her arms while another one was standing angry infront of her.

"How dare you hitting me in my balls?!"

"And how dare you hurting my friend?"

She also glanced angry up to him, but he then hit her against the head. He did it a few times and I saw that her nose was bleeding as well as her lips. I wanted to get up and help her, but I couldn´t. My fear paralyzed me and I wasn´t able to move.

With tears in my eyes I watched how she became unconscious as suddenly a very enraged voice spoke:

"You… What have you done to my Sister?!"

Now I recognized Ame who walked towards them with the most angriest expression I have ever seen. Though they were bigger and older than him he didn´t mind and was then standing infront of them.

"Oh seems like here is the next one who wants to learn a lesson…"

Smirking they looked down on him, but he then just made handsigns and spit fire at them. Screaming they ran away while I saw that one of them was burning.

Ame then kneeled down to Sakuya and held her in his arms. Suddenly he seemed to notice me as well and took her up on his arms, then walking over to me.

"Kabuto what happened?"

I was still scared and shivered over my whole body. He then grabbed me on my shoulders and shaked me.

"I asked what happened!?"

With tears running down my face I told him about it.

"She came here to help me and got beaten up herself! I wasn´t able to do anything because the fear overwhelmed me! If I wouldn´t have been such a coward I could´ve helped her!"

"I see…"

He said as he suddenly laid his hand on my shoulder.

"Don´t make yourself responsible for this, it was her decision to help you and she knew what could happen if she do so…"

"B- But I´m weak! And because of me she got hurt! I wish I could´ve protected her from those guys!"

"Then you have to become stronger, this is the only solution. If you want to protect Sakuya then work on yourself…"

Those words of his remaind in my head and I knew that he was right. In order to protect her I had to become strong and brave. But I didn´t really know how I should do that.

I was a bookworm and the only thing I learnd back then was Medical-Ninjutsu and not any fighting stuff. Everything changed when I decided to become a spy for Konoha because I knew now I had to learn to defend myself which also would cause that I should be able to protect Sakuya. That was why I promised her that when I would come back that I would protect her just like she always did.

But it happened again even though I became stronger now. I clenched my teeth and thought that I would´ve liked to see this guy even more suffer. _I just want to protect her! I just want to protect what is important to me! _

Sighing I stood back up and went back into the room while I examined Sakuya who laid there and slept placidly. Carefully I dragged her blanket a bit more up so that she wouldn´t get cold and then I sat beside her. _Sakuya I´m sorry that I wasn´t able to protect you from this…_

I slightly stroked over her hair before I stood up again and laid down on my futon. It took me a while, but then I was able to fall asleep.

The next morning, I was still sleeping, I felt suddenly something that poked me on my cheek. Sleepy I opened my eyes and looked at Sakuya who smirked lightly.

"You know I just can´t resist doing this while you´re asleep…"

She said with a pretty happy voice and I sat up, rubbing my eyes and yawned.

"How are you feeling?"

"Better! Thanks to you!"

Lightly blushed I shaked my head.

"I didn´t really do anything…"

"You did! Without you I would be dead now! I´m glad that you agreed coming with me to this Mission!"

Her eyes had a serious, but also soft look inside and it made me smile. _Maybe I wasn´t that useless…_

I stood up and she wanted to do the same, but seemed to have problems with it.

"Do you need help?"

"No it´s okay…"

Slowly she pulled herself up, but I saw that she still must have had a lot of pain. Since her ribs had been crushed it was no wonder. Tottering she made a few steps, but her body shaked and she seemed to break down every moment. Before this could happen I walked closer to her and catched her.

"You really should rest a bit Sakuya. Your injurys are serious and you should stay in bed for at least the next few days…"

"I know, but-"

"No, you´ll rest and I´ll take care of everything else. When I´m done we can go back home…"

"How? It´s pretty hard to walk…"

"I´ll carry you back, don´t worry about it…"

Suddenly she looked up to me and blushed.

"I- I don´t want you to carry me the whole way…"

"So? Why not?"

"I just don´t want it…"

She starred to the side, but I smiled at her.

"Well I thought I came with you to that Mission so that I could support you and that also counts when you´re unable to move by yourself… Beside that you´re pretty light so it wouldn´t really disturb me to carry you…"

Nodding she leand a bit more on me and closed her eyes, but this time I let her do it because I also enjoyed holding her like this in my arms. A few seconds later she let herself carefully back down to the ground and after I dressed myself, while she held her hands infront of her eyes, I went to Ayame´s room to say goodbye and also I had a question about that "Demon" as well.

"What kind of person or lets say "Demon" was that guy?"

Ayame and her father looked at each other, but then she sighed.

"Normally I´m not allowed to talk about it, but since you know about it anyways and also I still feel bad about what happened with Sakuya it´s just fair to tell you the truth."

So she told me that he was once a normal person, but his Shadow style Jutsus became so strong and terrifying that he himself started calling himself a "Shadow Demon". He caused a lot of trouble and so seald Ayame´s grandmother that guys Powers inside of a Diamond. Everybody thought he died back then, but somehow he must have survived and had a bit of his Powers still left. That´s why Sakuya and even I had such a hard time against him.

"I see…"

After I knew now about it I told them that we would leave today. Before we left they also said goodbye to Sakuya, who told them that it was fun to replace her at her Ritual Dance even though what happened after it wasn´t really fun.

"Are you comfortable like this?"

I asked Sakuya after I took her carefully on my back.

"Sure…"

Though I couldn´t see her face at that moment I could´ve bet she was blushed. She was the kind of person who didn´t like being dependend from others or being helpless just like now.

While she snuggled her head on my back I had to smirk.

"Are you planning to sleep?"

"Those painkillers you gave me are making me tired… and also your hair is so fluffy like a pillow so it´s hard not to fall asleep…"

After a while I heard that her respiration became calmer and was glad that she was able to fall asleep like that. Honestly I feard I would hurt her when I carry her the whole way back, but it seemed like I was wrong.

Normally we would´ve needed a half day to go back to the hideout, but since I had to walk in a normal pace it took me nearly a whole day. Aoi crawled on the ground beside me and looked every now and then up to make sure everything was alright. _Sometimes I believe he´s more human than Snake or at least his behavior is…_


	33. A Nightmare and other things

Sakuya´s P.O.V

~ in her mind ~

I opened my eyes and was blinded from the Sun that shone in my face. It was warm there and just beautiful. When I turned around I was standing infront of the old Cherryblossom Tree. _Wow how long has it been since I was here the last time?_

As I watched around I suddenly saw Kabuto standing a bit further away from me. Though the sun was shining brightly it looked like the surroundings around him were covered in something dark as if it was Night. _How Strange…_

"Kabuto!"

I yelled while starting to walk towards him. He turned around and when he saw me he smiled and waved. Also he started moving towards me, but something was wrong all of a sudden. It seemed like he was stucking on the ground because he couldn´t move forward anymore. As I then saw that he was sinking inside the ground I ran towards him, he looking at me with an afraid look.

"Sakuya! Help me please!"

When I reached him he had already been sunken to his shoulders with one of his arms still outside and reaching for help. I grabbed his hand and tried to pull him out, but it had no use. Something dragged him down into the black ground, but I wasn´t able to see what. Desapired I had to watch how he sunk in there as I still tried to get him out of there somehow. Only his hand was now outside the ground and I was holding on it tightly, but he slipped through me and vanished.

"Kabuto! Kabuto!-"

I screamed his name a thousand times and hit on the ground with my fists. Suddenly the black floor became more visible and there I saw him. He was surrounded by water because I saw that he held his breath and also he was swimming directly under me. Also he was hitting against the hard ground or for him ceiling which parted us from each other. As he looked at me with his eyes widend and panic inside them, I hit the ground even harder. My fists started bleeding, but I didn´t mind. I tried to scrach it open while my nails started also bleeding. Nothing worked.

Kabuto then stopped and let his breath out. He laid his hand on the ground (ceiling) and while I did the same he suddenly smiled. Before he closed his eyes he formed some words with his lips, but I didn´t know what they meant.

Tears were running down my face as I watched him sinking deeper and deeper inside the water. The darkness surrounded him now completely and I wasn´t able to see him anymore.

"Kabuto…"

Kabuto´s P.O.V

We nearly reached the hideout as I suddenly felt something wet running down my arm. I looked up to the sky because I thought it started raining, but not a single cloud was there. Lightly confused I then turned my head to Sakuya and was shocked. A tear was running down her cheek and that was the wet drop that fell on my arm.

"K- Kabuto…"

She whispered and I was worried. _Is she dreaming or am I hurting her because I´m carrying her?_

Carefully I sat her down on a big Rock and shaked her to wake her up. Slowly she opened her eyes and looked at me with a sad look, but it changed all of a sudden and her eyes widened with a relieved look inside.

"Is everything okay?"

She nooded and dragged me closer to her to embrace me. Surprised I was letting her do it, but when I tried to let go again she was still holding tight on me.

"Sakuya what is wrong?"

I asked as her grip got tighter and tighter.

"Please don´t leave me…"

"What?"

Finally able to make her let go of me I examined her and noticed that she still seemed to be half asleep.

"Don´t leave me Kabuto…"

She whispered with her eyes still half closed.

"I´m not going to leave you…"

I said, stroking her arm slightly.

All of a sudde she opened her eyes completely and looked confused around.

"Uhm where are we?"

"Near the hideout…"

"So? Seems like it was just a dream…"

She said quietly to herself, but I heard it anyways.

"That must have been a bad dream, wasn´t it?"

"Where do you know that from?"

"You cried and you were whispering my name…"

"I did what?!"

Blushed and with wide eyes she looked at me and shaked her head.

"You must be mistaken! Maybe I just salivated…"

I propped my hand on my right hip and looked down to her.

"Oh really? From your eyes?"

Nervously she tried to find a good explanation.

"Of course not! B- But maybe my head was uhm inclined and because of that it was near my eyes…"

Amused I chuckled a bit and then raised a brow.

"I don´t believe you and I know what I saw…"

Sulkily she starred to the ground while I took her on my back again. After a while we finally reached the hideout and I brought her to her room.

"Okay I´ll go to Orochimaru-sama and tell him about the Mission and as soon as I´m done I´ll make you something to eat, bring you some more medicine and change you bandages…"

"You don´t have to play my Nurse…"

"I´m not your Nurse! I just know that it is better for you if you don´t have to move that much with your crushed ribs!"

I said seriously and she sighed.

"Whatever…"

Sakuya´s P.O.V

~ 1 week later ~

_I can´t take this any longer!_

Kabuto forced me now since one week to stay in my bed and it was so boring during that time. Since everybody had something to do I only had company when Kabuto came to bring me food, give me medicine or, the worst case, reading something to me from his book.

I knew that he just wanted my best and I really appreciated that, but it was too much in my opinion.

Another person who was taking it a bit too serious was Souji. When he saw what happened to me he became angry.

"For what is this guy good huh?! I thought he came with you to take care of you, but it seems like he didn´t do anything! Where is this Idiot?!"

He wanted to go out of the room and look for Kabuto, but I stopped him.

"Thanks to him I´m not dead yet! So stop making him responsible for this!"

"But if I would´ve come with you I surely could´ve protected you!"

"It is like it is, so stop being so enraged because of it…"

Now I was sitting in my bed and looked to the clock. _It´s already 2 am…_

"Hey Aoi, shall we sneak out of the Hideout and take a little walk?"

Though Kabuto said I should still not move that much, I couldn´t stay in my room any longer. I took Aoi up on my arm, since he couldn´t wrap himself around my waist this time and opened my door carefully. Silently I walked out and then tip toed out of the hideout.

"Ahhhh how I missed the fresh Air!"

Outside I took a deep breath and became happy. It was pitch black outside, but I didn´t mind. The trees were blocking the moonlight to shine through them and so I jumped up on a tree. _Kabuto would be livid if he´d see what I did right now…_

I let Aoi down beside me and looked into the distance. Something else was on my mind and that was the Nightmare that came back nearly every night. It was always the same and I never was able to save him. _I know it´s just a dream, but why am I so afraid of it?_

Lost in my thoughts there suddenly spoke somebody behind me.

"I´ve never met a person as careless as you!"

It terrified me so much that I leand back, so that I lost my balance and fell down the tree. Somebody then catched me carefully and when I looked up I saw the angry face of Kabuto.

"Didn´t I tell you to stay in bed?"

He said after letting me down on a branch.

"It has already been a week! I´m fine again!"

"So are you?"

With his brows raised he suddenly placed his index finger on my chest and started pressing against my ribs.

"Does it hurt?"

"No…"

There really was no pain, but when he started pressing harder it started hurting again.

"Still nothing?"

"N- Nothing…"

It was hard to hide it and then there escaped a little scream out of my mouth.

"Tz don´t believe you could fool a Doctor."

"If nobody is pressing against it then it doesn´t hurt okay!"

"But it can´t heal right if you keep moving and debited it too much!"

"Hmph…"

"I- I just want to be sure that uhm-"

His glance softened a bit as he looked at me now, but he was also blushed and not able to end his sentence. Since I wasn´t a total fool I could assume what he wanted to say and sighed.

"I know and I´m thankful for your care believe me, but it became so boring in my room…"

He then smirked at me.

"Fine then I´ll take a walk with you from now on until your injuries are totally healed… Like with a dog…"

"Did you call me a dog?"

"Hm I guess I did…"

Insulted I gave him a nudge so that he fell this time down the tree. When he jumped back up he narrowed his eyes and I smirked.

"Oops that was just an accident…"


	34. The Youth Serum

Kabuto´s P.O.V

~ 5 weeks later ~

"That´s it Kabuto!"

Orochimaru had a pleased expression on his face while he held a test tube in his hand. It was filled with something we created, a youth serum. The green liquid shimmered and Orochimaru then took a siringe up from the desk.

"Well we just have to test it…"

"You want to test it on yourself Orochimaru-sama?"

With an incredulous look in my eyes I looked at him, since I knew that he never used himself as a test object, especially not when it was the first pass. He put a smirk on his face.

"Of course not… We´ll test it on you."

"What?"

Lightly confused I watched how he filled the serum inside of the siringe and walked towards me.

"We didn´t dose it that high so you don´t have to fear anything. You´ll at most become 5 years younger, not more and also you´ll get your normal age back in 72 hours, I guess…"

"Alright…"

I had to swallow because I got a bad feeling inside. _Maybe it´s just because he never used me as a test object before…_

He injected it into me and asked if I felt different.

"No not really…"

"Hmm maybe we should wait until tomorrow and then look if your age has changed…"

With this statement he took the scroll with the informations about the youth serum up and read it again. After he did that he told me that we´d meet again tomorrow morning to overlook the changes.

"Yes Orochimaru-sama…"

I was then on the way to my room because it had already been pretty late and I felt tired.

"Still awake at this late hour?"

A bit terrified I turned around and saw Sakuya with a glas of water standing there.

"Oh well it became late in the lab…"

"What have you been doing?"

She asked while we walked beside each other through the hallway.

"Testing a new project of ours…"

"So? What kind of?"

"A youth serum."

"And does it work?"

"We´re not sure yet… We have to wait until tomorrow morning…"

"I see… Hmm if it works could I have a bottle full as well?"

"Why would you need some of that?"

I asked lightly confused, but she just shrugged and smiled.

"Just for the case I´d look like a withered tomatoe one day…"

"I see…"

We then reached my room and I opened the door.

"Goodnight Kabuto."

"Goodnight…"

After she was gone I changed my clothes and laid down in my bed. All of a sudden I felt very tired and immediately fell asleep after I closed my eyes.

Sakuya´s P.O.V

The next morning I woke up very early and Aoi, who had been awake as well, looked at me with a hungry glance in his eyes.

"Are you hungry again?"

He nooded and I smirked.

"You´re pretty spend on food you know…"

So after dressing myself I went to the kitchen with Aoi and I lightly hoped that Kabuto had already been prepearing breakfast, but when we arrived nobody was there. _Well I guess that means I´ll have to do the breakfast today…_

Before I started doing the breakfast for everybody I first made some Rice for Aoi. Strangely that was his favorite food, just dry rice. Then after I was also done with the rest I went from room to room for telling everyone that breakfast was ready.

I reached Kabuto´s room and knocked on his door, then opening it. Everything was silent and I wondered if he still was asleep, but when I looked at his bed I couldn´t see him. _Did he have to go to a Mission?_

Suddenly I noticed a little bump under his blanket and when I dragged it away I was so shocked and agape that I nearly fell down to the ground when I walked a few steps back.

"K- Kabuto?"

After I calmed down a bit I examined what was laying there infront of me. There was no doubt that it was Kabuto, but his appearance, size and obviously his age had changed drastic. The black shirt he wore during night became now so large that it looked more like a dress, but it somekind of made me smile. It was adorable how he looked like since he wasn´t older than 5 or 6 years.

Then he slowly opened his eyes and looked up to me.

"Why are you starring at me like this?"

His expression became lightly confused as he seemed to recognize the high tone of his voice with which he was speaking. It seemed like he wanted to get up, but then he also noticed the other things that had changed on him and he let out a loud, despaired and angry scream.

"What the hell happened with me?!"

"Seems like your youth serum is working better than thought…"

As he now wanted to get out of the bed he nearly fell down to the ground, but I catched him. I was holding him now infront of me while he glanced angry at me.

"Sakuya let me down!"

The way his voice sounded at that moment and the fact that he was now so small was making me do something that made him even angrier. Tightly I pressed him on me while he ordered me to let go of him.

"Let go of me immediately!"

"Awww, but you´re so cute…"

It was obvious that he was pissed so I sat him back down on his bed. Still smiling I looked down on him which seemed to annoy him as well.

"Maybe we should inform Orochimaru-sama about it…"

"Yes let´s go…"

Kabuto´s P.O.V

_I can´t believe it! I knew we shouldn´t have tested it on me!_

"Come on I´ll carry you…"

Sakuya heaved me up, but I started struggling.

"You don´t have to carry me! I´m a child and not a baby!"

"But your shirt is so large that you´ll trip when you walk and also you´re not wearing shoes. The floor outside is cold so you could get sick…"

She walked out of the room while I still was angry, shocked, pissed and confused at once. I couldn´t really understand how this serum was able to make me nearly 15 years younger since Orochimaru and I didn´t dose it that high. _Maybe we made a mistake…_

When we reached Orochimaru´s room, Sakuya knocked on the door and he told us to come in. His expression changed when he saw us, or more me, so that his mouth was standing lightly open.

"Kabuto?"

Shocked he stood up and examined me with wide eyes. It seemed like even he didn´t expect such a drastic change. After a while he sat back down on his chair and Sakuya asked what we should do now.

"Well since it was just a test it will hold 72 hours before he´ll turn back to normal and until then I would like you to take care of him…"

"Sure…"

"No! My size maybe changed, but I´m still the same as before! I don´t need a babysitter!"

It annoyd me that first Sakuya and then Orochimaru started to treat me like a young child. In my mind I was still a 23 years old man and I could easily take care of myself.

A few hours later I was sitting in my room with Aoi beside me. Sakuya said she would leave him by my side just for the case something would happen, though I told her nobody had to stay by my side. I sighed and Aoi, who looked three times larger than before, licked over my face.

"This is so degrading!"

I didn´t even want to leave my room, since I knew that Junichi would react like Sakuya and Sasuke would probably talk more shit than ever. Souji was on a mission so I didn´t have to think about his reaction.

Some time later I went to the lab since I was bored and thought I could at least do some of my paperwork there. I went to the desk as I suddenly noticed that I couldn´t even look above it. With effort I pushed a chair infront of it and stood then on there. _Doing my paperwork in a standing position is so idiotic…_

When I was done and walked through the hallway, with Aoi crawling beside me, I accidently bumped into Sasuke.

"Hey brat m-"

His expression seemed surprised as he recognized me. He smirked down at me.

"What happened to you Nerd?"

"Non of your business…"

I said while shoving my glasses up my nose.

"Still so arrogant though you´re now such a small brat?"

He grabbed me on my shirt and heaved me up with a malice look in his eyes.

"Sasuke let go of me!"

Struggling I tried to free myself, but I was too weak. When he let go of me I landed roughly on the ground while he still smirked.

"I hope you will remain in this form a little bit. Seems like I could have fun with you…"

Angry I stood back up and looked after him while Aoi wrapped his tail around my leg. It seemed like he thought I would go after him, but that weren´t my intentions. Beside that I didn´t believe in this condition I could stand a chance against him.

The day passed by very slow and I was glad when it was late enough to go to bed. I changed my clothes and as I stood infront of my mirror my head started hurting. _This reflection brings back memorys…_

I remembered back the day I was found by Mother, how she gave me my name and how much I loved her. Those memorys gave me a bad headache and I felt sadness inside of me. _Why am I so emotional now? Just because this apperance reminded me on Mother and how it was to be her son?_

While trying to ignore those unnecessary feelings, Sakuya suddenly came in with a bright smile.

"And how was your day?"

"Like everyday…"

I answered unfriendly, but she sat down on my bed and examined me.

"Is something wrong? You have such a sad look in your eyes…"

"Everything is fine and now leave me alone!"

Though she didn´t do anything wrong I yelled at her, but she was still smiling.

"May I could make you smile when I give you this…"

She showed me a bag filled with sweets and this made me even more angry.

"Are you kidding me? I really don´t know why you´d think this crap could make me smile!"

I grabbed the bag and slung it to the ground while she suddenly got a light shocked and surprised expression.

"Beside that you don´t have to act like my big Sister or something like that! I don´t need your help, I don´t need your dumb sweets and I especially don´t need your care!"

Her look suddenly changed in something mixed between sad and dissappointed while she stood up from my bed.

"You know, I just wanted to be nice since I knew you had a hard day because of what happened and I didn´t have any bad intentions. You´re telling me the whole time that you´re still the adult inside, but honestly you´re more acting like a 5 year old brat than a normal one would do. Well whatever I´ll go now and maybe we can talk again when you stop acting like a total asshole…"

With this statement she went out of my room and I felt even worser than before. It wasn´t my intention to hurt her feelings, but she was just at the wrong time at the wrong place. _I´m sorry Sakuya…_


	35. My Guardian Angel

Kabuto´s P.O.V

The next day I still felt bad because of what happened the day before and I thought about if I should apologize. Since it wasn´t her fault at all it maybe would´ve been the right decision. I knew she was on her patrol through the Village so I decided to take a walk until she´d come back. _Maybe I see her on my way and then I can apologize…_

It was a bit windy outside and the wind was also lightly cold. I walked into the woods anyways because I didn´t want to meet up with Sasuke again. _When I´m back at my normal size I´ll teach him a little lesson…_

As I walked then through the woods, I noticed that everything around me seemed to be larger than usual. _It really is strange to be so small…_

Suddenly I heard a noise behind me. It sounded like the howling of a wolf, but then I shaked my head. _Since years I haven´t seen a wolf here, so I don´t beli-_

I heard the leafes on a shrubbery behind me rustle and as I turned around I couldn´t believe what I saw. A wolf with his snout covered in blood. Lightly afraid I took a few steps back, but he followed me and growled at me. _Keep calm Kabuto, he won´t attack when you´re silent and don´t move…_

Trying to make my strategy work I didn´t move anymore, but the wolf then jumped at me, while I dodged and then started running away, deeper inside the woods. _This is bad, very bad!_

In the condition I was I couldn´t fight so I had to thought about another plan. I noticed a small tree and decided to climb on there. _When he´s not able to climb, he shouldn´t be able to reach me…_

With effort I tried to reach a branch on which I tried to pull myself up. It was very hard and the fact that I had the body of a weak child didn´t make it better. All of a sudden I felt a bad pain on my left leg and cried out in pain. When I looked down I saw how the wolf had my leg in his mouth.

"Uhhh."

Overwhelmed from the pain I let go of the branch and landed rough on the ground. In shock the wolf let go of me and though my leg was hurting like hell I started running again. My glasses had been fallen down, so I couldn´t really see what laid before me. I felt the blood running down my injured leg and couldn´t tell how long I was able to go further. Hearing steps behind me, I ran faster, but the next thing that happened was that I fell. I didn´t know from where I fell down, but I knew I had been and rolled then down.

I rolled roughly against a tree and hit my head, what made me feel very dizzy. Unable to move anymore I tried to lift my head and recognized vague a grey figure standing above me. _Is this really my end? Am I going to die like this? _

As I closed my eyes and became slowly unconscious my last thought was: _I´m sorry Sakuya…_

* * *

"Hmmm…"

My whole body was hurting, but I felt that somebody was carrying me on his arms. I opened my eyes again and felt relieved as I noticed blonde hair.

"M- Mother…"

I whispered quietly before closing my eyes again.

After I didn´t know how many hours, I woke up again, laying in a warm bed. Somebody sat beside me, but I still saw everything vague, until the person took me some glasses on.

"Are you alright?"

Asked a worried Sakuya and I was agape. _So it was her who saved me? But how did she find me?_

"S- Sakuya…"

With tears in my eyes I sat up and laid my arms around her neck. She returned the hug and I felt save in her arms. _Please never let me go again…_

"What happened?"

She asked after I laid down again. So I told her what happened and she then had a lightly angry expression.

"Didn´t I tell you not to go outside all alone?! It is dangerous for a child!"

"I´m sorry…"

Since I had to admit that she was right and I didn´t want to argue with her again, I just apologized. Lightly surprised she looked at me, but then smiled.

"Maybe you want some sweets now?"

She held again a bag with a lot of sweets inside infront of me and this time I grabbed me some of them. _Honestly I´m just glad that I´m still alive and that Sakuya is now beside me…_

"Say, does it still hurt?"

She dragged the blanket away and examined then my injured leg. It was now bandaged, but it didn´t hurt that much anymore. Also she carefully touched my head, which was also bandaged because I had a wound there as well.

"No, by the way how did you find me?"

I wondered since I didn´t tell anybody where I went at, but also because even if somebody knew about it, I was in the midst of the forest so how was she able to find me? With a light smirk she then said:

"Let´s say I had a bad feeling inside and thanks to Aoi I was able to find you last minute."

Just now I noticed Aoi, who laid on the bed as well and hissed at me.

"Thanks you two…"

"No problem, we will always be there and protect you, no matter how old you are…"

She winked and I smiled. All of sudden the door opened and Junichi peeked in.

"Awww Kabuto-san you really are adorable!"

He stood on the door and examined me from top to bottom. Sakuya giggled, but I felt lightly emberassed. She then asked:

"What´s the matter Junichi?"

"Oh right! I just wanted to tell you that Dinner is ready."

"Thank you. We´ll come in a few minutes…"

Junichi went away and Sakuya then asked me if I wanted to eat in my bed.

"Oh uhm that would be great…"

"Fine, then I´ll get you something and bring it here. Do you want me to eat with you?"

Her brown eyes glanced softly at me and I just nooded. As long as she was beside me I felt better, though I still was in my child form. Now that I thought like this, I really regretted my behaviour from yesterday evening even more and before she could go, I grabbed her hand.

"Sakuya, I want to apologize because of how mean I was yesterday. You didn´t do anything wrong it was just that-"

_What should I tell her now? About those feelings that came back because of this appearance?_

"I understand and don´t worry I´m not mad at you."

She said while giving me a bright smile. We shared a lot of time together for the rest of the evening while we were eating, talking and so on. Around 11pm she then yawned and wanted to leave, but I stopped her again.

"Would you mind staying here until I fell asleep?"

With a questioning look she glanced at me and then asked:

"Why?"

"I would feel better if you do…"

Honestly, I didn´t even know myself why I wanted her to stay, but having her near me felt just right at that moment. Still having a lightly confused expression on her face, she laid down beside me. I snuggled then on her while she stroked lightly my hair. _Hmm I wonder if she would also do this when I´m back at my adult form…_

After a while I fell into a deep sleep and when I woke up the next morning, I couldn´t believe what had happened. I had my normal size back and couldn´t tell how happy I was. On my nightstand I then found a slip from Sakuya and she wrote on there:

"_May I´ll bring my little Sweetie some more sweets today. Have a nice day!"_

I had to smirk when I read it. _Sweetie huh? _

All of a sudden I got an idea and stood up, then dressing me in my normal clothes and went to Sakuya´s room. Leaving her also a little note, I then went into the living room where I found Sasuke sitting on the couch.

"Oh Sasuke, I got something for you!"

He didn´t see me coming and I then grabbed him on his shirt, dragging him up so that we were now face to face.

"Hey you psychopath let me down!"

"So arrogant though you´re just a brat?"

I said smirking and let him fall back down. With pure hate in his eyes he glanced now at me, but I didn´t care and went back outside. _I love it to be an Adult!_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

Aoi and I came back from our patrol through the Village and I wanted nothing more than taking a shower. Today was a lot of work to do, like fighting with some Criminals and I helped an old married couple to fix their roof.

As I reached my room, I immediately noticed a little slip on my table and as I read it I blushed a little bit. It was from Kabuto and he wrote:

"_Nothing is as sweet as you, my guardian angel."_


	36. A new Threat

Sakuya´s P.O.V

Some days after the incident with the youth serum, I was injured during my patrol through Otogakure. It wasn´t something serious, but it was hurting. A man nearly destroyed a little shop in which they selled foodstuffs and of course I had to stop him, what I did, but before I was able to defate him, he landed a hit on my back with his Kunai and escaped. _Well taking care of a whole Village is sometimes dangerous, but it´s not like I didn´t know that from the very beginning…_

So when I came back to the hideout, I searched for Kabuto, since he was the Doctor in the house. He wasn´t in his room and also not in the lab, so that I feard he maybe wasn´t in the hideout at the moment. While walking through the hallway, I met Junichi and asked him if he knew where Kabuto was at.

"Hmm if I´m not mistaken I saw him going into the Trainingroom…"

"The Trainingroom? Are you sure?"

Since I knew my grey haired friend, I never saw him doing any training. _Can you even put the words Kabuto and Training in the same Sentence?_

"I´m quiet sure…"

"Alright, thanks…"

Incredulous I walked to the trainingroom, Aoi crawling beside me on the floor. As I stood now infront of the entrance to the room, I gave Aoi a light smirk.

"I´m pretty curious now, what about you?"

Aoi nooded and I carefully opened the door, then peeking in. I needed a moment before I found him and felt then a little bit paralyzed. With lightly wided eyes and blushed cheeks, I watched him how he was doing some pull-ups. Wearing a dark blue sleeveless shirt, I had a good view of his biceps and because of the light in the room, his sweat started sparkling. For me it was something like a perfect picture and I could´ve looked at him for hours. _Mhm…_

He stopped after a while and grabbed then a towel that laid on a chair with which he tried to sweep off his sweat. Still being blushed, I wanted to leave before he would notice me, but it was already too late.

"Sakuya what are you doing here?"

Now he stood infront of me, his dark eyes glancing at me with a questioning look and from sheer rapture, I wasn´t even sure what exactly I wanted from him.

"I- uhm well-"

Noticing my nervous blabbering and that I kept starring at him, seemed to make him become suspecious and he raised a brow.

"What´s wrong? Do I have something in my face?"

"No, b- but I didn´t know that you´re making uhm training…"

Lightly surprised he looked down to me and then smirked.

"The fact that I´m training is making you speechless? Why is that?"

Feeling that I blushed even more, due to the fact that I really became speechless while watching him making some pull-ups, I suddenly felt some pain on my back and remembered why I came here in the first place.

"C- Could you may take a look on this injury?"

I turned around and showed him my back, while he then sighed.

"Of course, but why did it happen this time?"

We were walking to his room and he had again such an angry, but also worried look in his eyes.

"During a fight…"

He nooded, but gave me again a strange glance. _He´s always reacting like this when I come home with an injury…_

As we reached his room, he then said:

"Alright, take your tunic off."

Blushed I did it, but held immediately my hands infront of my boobs. Though Kabuto was a Doctor, he also blushed slightly and then went behind me, examining the injury.

"Well it´s not deep, so I won´t have to sew it this time. Just stay still for a moment…"

It was healed within a few minutes and his warm hands then slightly stroked above my back, sending shivers down my spine. _I hope he didn´t notice that…_

"Do you still feel pain?"

"N- No…"

"But you shivered when I touched you…"

I heard the lightly worried undertone in his voice and turned then, still blushed, to him.

"I´m just cold…"

His cheeks were also lightly pink and he then said a bit nervous:

"Oh uhm y- you can take your top back on, I mean we´re done here…"

"Yes…"

I looked down to the ground and he turned away from me. _Sometimes I wonder if he hasn´t the wish to, well to do what exactly? My feelings for him are definitelly stronger than for a friend, that is for sure and it´s not like I never had the intentions to make the next step in our relationship, but what about him? Is he in love with me?_

Lost in my thoughts I let out a loud sigh and he noticed it.

"Is there something else?"

He came now back to me and gave me a questioning look, but I shaked my head.

"Everything is fine…"

Even I didn´t believe myself when I said that and Kabuto also didn´t seem to be convinced. Taking a few steps closer to me, so that we were just inches apart from each other, he gave me a soft glance and said:

"You know that you can talk to me if something bothers you, right?"

"I guess…"

"Then tell me about it…"

He was now so close that I felt his warm breath on my skin which gave me some goosbumps. _Should I ask him?_

I gulped and looked him now deep in the eyes.

"A- Are you- I mean could it be that- you´re in-"

All of a sudden opened somebody the door and I took terrified a step back. It was Junichi who looked now back and forth between me and Kabuto.

"Sorry, did I interrupt you?"

"No, it´s fine, I wanted to leave anyways…"

I went to the door while Kabuto wanted to say something, but I didn´t give him the chance to do so. As fast as I could I went to my room and let myself fall down on my bed, holding my hand on my chest to feel my heartbeat. It was pounding very fastly and I closed my eyes. _I don´t think this is the right time to ask him this question, but then again when would be the right time?_

The next day, while I was walking through the Village as usual with Aoi around my waist, I thought that I should keep those things about me being in love with Kabuto for me. At least until I was really sure that he had nearly the same feelings for me. Yesterday evening he came into my room and asked again what I wanted to tell him, but I just told him it was nothing. He then just went away with a lightly dissapointed expression which made me a bit sad. _I don´t want him to think that I don´t trust him, but what if my confession would tear apart our friendship?_

Aoi licked over my face and brought me back to reality. I stroked over his head and smiled. It was a beatiful day and I couldn´t find any troublemakers, so that I decided to sit down on a bench and enjoy the warm sun a little bit.

"Hey Newbie!"

A familiar voice talked to me, while Mamoru then sat down beside me. With a light smile on his face he looked at me while I had to sigh. _Please not again such a Mission. Orochimaru will be enraged if I have to leave again…_

"What is it?"

His smile disappeard and he had now a serious look in his eyes.

"Something happened to three of our members during the last week and I´m afraid that you could also be a target."

"What happened?"

"They disappeard and we found two of them already dead. The third one is still missing…"

Shocked about those news, I had to gulp and asked then:

"Who did this?"

"We don´t know, but whoever it is, he or she is after the members of our organization."

"I see…"

Worried I looked at him and as he noticed it, he laid his hand on my cheek, what confused me a bit.

"Don´t worry, I´m already after them and I´m sure I´ll find them very soon…"

"Well if you say so…"

I took his hand away from my cheek and gave him a questioning look, but he didn´t react to it and continued:

"Do you maybe have somebody you could take with you during your patrols? Just for safety?"

"Yes, I guess…"

"Good, because I don´t want you to get harmed Newbie…"

"Huh?"

Wondering about this sudden care of his towrds me, I gave him a perplex look, but he then stood up and took the hood from his cape on.

"See you…"

He went away and I started getting worried. Not only about me, but also about the other members. _I just hope nobody has to die anymore…_

?´s P.O.V

"Let us do it now…"

"Yes…"

Our last hostage, one of those so called "Lights", was kneeling on the ground infront of us. I could see the fear in his eyes and enjoyed it. Holding my sword on his throat with a malice smirk on my lips, I then asked:

"Are you ready to die?"

He gave me no reply and so I just cut through his throat, the blood splattering the ground.

"Those guys really are weak. I thought they would be a good match, but that´s already the third one we killed without any effort…"

"Well, but who is our next target?"

I showed my partner a picture with a young women on it. She had blonde hair and brown eyes.

"So this girl is the next one?"

"Yes, Sakuya Higurashi, the guardian of Otogakure…"


	37. Worrys and a Candlelight-Dinner

Sakuya´s P.O.V

On my way back to the hideout, I could only think about what Mamoru told me. _Who would want to harm our Organization?_

I sighed while I walked through the hallway and thought about how Kabuto would probably react when I told him about it. _He already is worried about me and now there´s presumably somebody who has the intentions to kill me…_

First I went to my room and changed my clothes into something more comfortable and then I went to the kitchen since it had already been time for dinner. Kabuto stood on the oven and was cooking, but I was lightly surprised that nobody else was there.

"Hey…"

I sat down on a chair and he gave me a light smile.

"Hey, where have you been so long?"

"I just had a lot of work, that was all…"

"Okay…"

"By the way, where is everybody else?"

"It will be just the two of us today, because Junichi and Souji are on errands and Orochimaru-sama is training with Sasuke."

"Oh I see…"

I blushed a bit as I then got the thought that other people could see this as a date, when there are just the two of us. Then I smirked lightly and stood up, while Kabuto gave me a confused glance.

"Where are you going?"

Giving him a suspecious grin, I looked through the compartments until I found what I was looking for.

"I thought we could take this and make a Candlelight-Dinner…"

I showed him the candle I took out and he immediately blushed.

"A- Are you serious?"

Nodding I took the candle on the table and lighted it up. Then I sat back down and Kabuto served the dishes, him being still blushed. We then sat there and ate our meal, while I squinted every now and then at him. After we were done, he asked me about my day and I gulped.

"Well, Mamoru was there again, you remember that guy who gave me my last Mission…"

"Yes, what did he want?"

"He told me that three of our members had been disappeard during the last week and two of them were found already dead…"

Kabuto´s look changed now into something mixed between shock and worry.

"What? Does that mean this could also happen to you?"

"I guess…"

He then looked at me for a moment until he said:

"Then I´ll accompany you from now on during your patrols. I don´t mind if that means I have to neglect my work a bit, but Orochimaru-sama should understand this since your life is in danger."

It surprised me a bit how determined he said that, but on the other hand I found it very nice.

"Thank you, but is this really okay?"

"When it´s about protecting you I´d do everything, even giving my own-"

He blushed and gave me a shy glance.

"I just want to say that I want to protect you…"

Being touched that I seemed to be so important to him, I stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. His head turned into a dark scarlet, but I just smiled and went then away. _I wonder if he liked it…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

_Wow, what was that just now?_

I held my right cheek and got a beautiful warm feeling inside. _Did she really kiss me?_

Still feeling lightly shaky, I stood up and made the dishes, but then I also thought about what she told me. _This time I´ll protect her at any cost!_

I remembered back our last Mission when her ribs got crushed and leand then against the counter, looking thoughtful to the ground. _What if I´m again not able to protect her? What if I lose her this time completely?_

This thought gave me a stich in the heart. _Even thinking that she wouldn´t be there anymore makes me become sad…_

I sighed and went then also into my room, still having Sakuya on my mind. _Please let me be able to protect her, at least this one time…_

Sakuya´s P.O.V

The next day I also told Orochimaru and the others about what happened there and it surprised me when Orochimaru had understanding for Kabuto when he said he would come with me during my patrols.

"Does your organization already know who is after you?"

Asked Junichi, also wearing a worried expression on his face.

"No, but Mamoru said he is already after them…"

After I told them about it, I went into my room, but shortly after I went in came Souji after me, his eyes filled with worry, shock and doubts.

"Is something wrong?"

He sat beside me on the bed and looked me in the eyes.

"Sister, I don´t know if it is such a good idea if _he _trys to protect you…"

"What? Why?"

"He failed the last time, so what if it happens again? Somebody is after you to kill you and I don´t have enough faith in him to lay your life into his hands…"

I laid my hand on his shoulder and smiled lightly.

"But I do have faith in him and I know that he´d do anything to keep me save. I know that you don´t trust him, but trust my judgment…"

He sighed and his brown eyes glanced at me with tears inside.

"I just couldn´t endure it if I lose you Sister. You´re everything for me…"

My heart was hurting when I heard him saying that and dragged him then closer to me, embracing him tightly.

"I won´t leave you Souji…"

He also laid his arms now around me and pressed me very tight.

"Please let me accompany you as well, I want to protect you myself…"

"If it makes you happy…"

Some time later, after Souji was gone, I went to Kabuto´s room to inform him about my little Brothers decision. I had somekind of a bad feeling about it, because I knew that both of them didn´t get along so well with each other. As I knocked on his door, he told me to come in. He sat at his desk and seemed to do some of his work.

"What´s the matter?"

I walked closer to him and leand now on his desk while I said:

"Souji will accompany us as well…"

Kabuto now gave me a lightly confused look.

"What?"

"Yes, uhm he- he-"

All of a sudden he looked down to the ground and his look became sad.

"He thinks I´m not able to protect you by myself, right?"

"It´s not like that, I mean he´s just worried about me…"

"No, you don´t have to lie..."

With doubts in his eyes he glanced now at me, but I grabbed his hand with a light smile on my face.

"You´re always thinking that you never were able to protect me by yourself, but that is not true. You already saved my life several times and you protected me with your own life as well. For me it also would´ve been okay if it is just you as my guardian because I know I can relay on you Kabuto…"

His look changed now and he grabbed my hand a bit tighter.

"Thanks for your faith…"

A smile appeard on his face and I let go of his hand, going to the door. Before I left I turned around again and said:

"I always believed in you…"


	38. Conflicts

Sakuya´s P.O.V

The next few days I was accompanied by Kabuto and Souji during my patrols, but honestly, it was just annoying, due to the fact that my little Brother really seemed to _hate _Kabuto. I mean I knew that he didn´t like him, but I never could´ve imagined that he had such a big problem with him.

Several times he told him that he didn´t need to stay by my side as well, since he´d be able to protect me all by himself which also made me a bit angry because I knew he hurted Kabuto with such comments. But then again Kabuto wasn´t really better than him, since he also let out some bad things like, when he protected me only once, because back then it were him and Ame who protected me with their own lifes. This was definitely a punch below the belt, what I told him, but it didn´t change anything. Both of them wouldn´t stop to argue and it made me sick. _Why can´t they get along with each other? Both of them are important to me and I don´t want to be witout anybody of them, but when it continues like this…_

One day, as I sat in the living room with Kabuto alone, I suddenly had an idea about how to bring those two closer to each other, but I first had to convince Kabuto.

"That´s totally pathetic Sakuya…"

He said, giving me a glance, but I wouldn´t give up now.

"Why? I just want you two to know each other a bit better and maybe then you would stop fighting so much. Please do it for me!"

Looking at him with puppy eyes, he sighed and nooded.

"Fine, but then try to convince your stubborn Brother to agree with this as well…"

"Don´t worry, he wouldn´t say no when I ask him for this…"

Later on I talked to Souji, who at first was totally against this idea, but when I begged him he couldn´t resist anymore and agreed as well. _Fine and tomorrow they can start with sharing some time together…_

After both of them brought me save back to the hideout from my patrol the next day, I told them to take a little walk together and hoped that it wouldn´t escalate somehow. _Please become friends you two…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

Souji and I walked beside each other through the Forest in silence and I still couldn´t understand Sakuya´s intentions. _How does she think should this work? He will never like me…_

All of a sudden he stopped walking and narrowed his eyes, while I gave him a questioning look.

"I can´t understand my Sister and her affection to you…"

"What?"

Now he looked me in the eyes, glancing with an angry look at me.

"She is way too good for somebody like _you!_ Beside that you broke her heart once, so who can say that you won´t do it again?!"

I rested my hand on my hip and also gave him a glance.

"I had my reasons to leave and you know that."

"Tz whatever, but I´ll never forgive you that you made her cry!"

"I never wanted to do that alright! I´d never hurt her on purpose you Idiot!"

Starring at each other badly, he then just walked past me and disappead then in the woods. _That Bastard what does he think who he is?!_

Angrily I walked back to the hideout and bumped then immediately into Sakuya, who looked at me in confusion.

"You´re already back?"

While looking in her big brown eyes, I couldn´t help but really getting some guilty feelings towards her. Clenching my teeth, I just walked away and let her stay there like a fool. _I just can´t get used to those feelings I get whenever she´s around! I just can´t!_

?´s P.O.V

"Hmm it will be harder to get her when she´s always surrounded by those two men, don´t you think so?"

"Indeed, but we _have _to kidnap her somehow…"

My partner suddenly got a suspecious smirk on his face and said:

"Why not making her come to _us _at her free will…"

"How would this work? Do you think we send her an invitation and she´ll come?"

"No of course not, we´ll give her a reason to come and I know how we´ll do this…"

We jumped now through the Forest while I still wondered what this new plan was about.

Souji´s P.O.V

_Damn it!_

I knew Sister would be sad when I won´t be friends with that guy, but I couldn´t change the fact that I didn´t like him. _I never did…_

That guy, since he came into her life she only cares about him and only him. Just because he was always such a little whimp who needed her help no matter in which situation. _Sakuya is the only person I really trust and I don´t want him to take her away from me! If she isn´t there anymore what should I do? Only because of her I was able to leave my painful past behind and when she said she would be my big Sister I finally felt what care was. She is the nicest person I know, while Kabuto really is something else…_

I sighed while I looked into the distance, then leaning against a tree and closing my eyes. _But she loves him and I can´t change that. I want my Sister to be happy, but I doubt that he is the right one for her…_

Being totally lost in my thoughts, I first didn´t notice that somebody came near me, but only until I opened my eyes. Then I saw two cloakd persons infront of me who walked closer to me.

"You must be Sakuya´s brother, I assume…"

"Who are you?"

I really wasn´t in the mood to talk to anybody, especially not strangers.

"You don´t need to know who we are, but you´ll come with us…"

"Pah sure…"

With an annoyed look I tried to walk past them, but one of them then grabbed my arm and said then threatening:

"You better don´t resist against us or you might get hurt boy."

Pissed of I freed my arm and jumped up on a tree, then jumping away from them, but they followed me. _Fine, if they want it like that!_

I stopped and made handsigns, while I then hurled a whole bunch of water towards them. After that they were gone and I thought I got them, but suddenly I felt something on my leg and looked down there. _Is that a-_

But before I could react it already exploded and I fell down the tree, hard on the ground and wasn´t able to move anymore. _M- My leg…_

Then I saw feets infront of me and looked up, me then just having one question:

"W- Who are you and what do you want?"

Hearing them chuckling, one of them said:

"We´re the "Shadows" and we will make sure that not only one of those pathetic "Lights" will stay alive…"

_It´s them! They´re after my Sister!_

"And now sleep well…"

Something hit me on the head and I became unconscious. _Sister…_


	39. A painful Past

Sakuya´s P.O.V

_What happened?_

I was on the way to Kabuto´s room and asked myself the whole time what went wrong during their walk. _I should´ve known that it was a bad idea…_

Reaching his room, I knocked on the door, but he didn´t give me an answer so that I just went in. He laid on his belly, with his head pressed against his pillow and as he noticed me, he looked up.

"What?"

The sound of his voice was somekind of strange, but I just sat down on his bed and asked then:

"Did something happen?"

He mumbled something I didn´t understand and laid then his head back down. Due to my unpatience, I started poking him on his back, what seemed to annoy him because he finally sat up and glanced at me.

"Tell me what happened!"

"I´ll, but first answer me one question and I want you to tell me the truth…"

"Fine…"

"Did I hurt you when I left back then?"

Confused I looked at him and gulped.

"What? Why do you want to know that?"

"Just answer it."

He gave me an urgentle look, but I didn´t know what to say, since I didn´t want to tell him the truth. _But then on the other hand…_

"Yes…"

The look in his eyes changed all of a sudden into something like sorrow and he then stood up while whispering:

"I see…"

Before he was able to left the room I grabbed his arm and held him back from going.

"You may see this wrong Kabuto. Yes, I was hurt when you left, but just because I missed you so much. This friendship we had, I mean it was something special and didn´t you miss me as well?"

His dark eyes glanced now softly at me and he nooded.

"I missed you like hell…"

Smiling I laid my hand on his cheek and said:

"You see, I know that you never would hurt me on purpose…"

Then he did something unexpected and dragged me closer to him while laying his arms tightly around me. Blushed I snuggled my head on his chest and felt very well like this. _He smells so good…_

"Sakuya…"

He whispered in my ear and as I then heaved my head up again, our faces were just a few inches apart from each other. My heart started beating very fast when I noticed that we slowly came closer and closer to each other. _Are we really…?_

Our lips nearly made contact, but Kabuto then pushed me slightly away and looked to the ground.

"I´m sorry…"

Disappointed I also looked to the ground.

"It´s okay…"

_So close…_

Determined not to show him how hurt I was because of this gesture of his, I turned away from him and wanted to leave as he suddenly grabbed my wrist.

"Please don´t go…"

I looked in his eyes again, they had now the most sorrowful and saddned look inside I had ever seen, but I just couldn´t stay. Without any words I freed me from his grip and went then out of his room. As I reached my room, I just hoped that I didn´t have to see him again today. _So he really doesn´t want to have such a kind of relationship with me. Well, at least I know it now…_

Kabuto´s P.O.V

_Oh god I´m such an Asshole!_

I hit angrily against my wall and just couldn´t believe what nearly happened between me and Sakuya. _Why did I push her away? Isn´t that something I also wanted for a long time now?_

Despaired I let myself fall back down on my bed and starred up to the ceiling. _I know the reason why I couldn´t kiss her. I´m afraid of what would come after it, yes, that´s it. What if I have to leave her again? I don´t want to hurt her one more time, but how long am I able to resist against those ever growing feelings? I really don´t know what to do now, maybe I should win a distance to her again? But is that really what I want? All I want is to see her happy, but aren´t I making her sad when I avoid her? I´m so confused…_

"Sakuya…"

Souji´s P.O.V

_W- What happened?_

I opened my eyes, but it was pitch black so I wasn´t able to recognize where exactly I was. As I tried to move I couldn´t, my wrists and ankles were chained on the ground and I was just able to pull myself into a kneeling position. Panic spread inside of me, when I remembered the last time something like this happened. _This just can´t be!_

Memorys from the past came back, the awful cell in which I lived for years, the feeling of iron on my skin whenever I was chained, the humiliation I had to endure. Since years I didn´t think about it, but now that I was in nearly the same situation again, the remembrance of that Nighmare just overwhelmed me.

It was like I could watch my old self, the small boy which I was back then. My blue hair was unkempt, I wore the clothes of a slave, thin white, dirty clothes which looked somekind of grey and my tiny body was full with bruises and scratches, due to the maltreatment. Everyday he came into the cell, at the same time, our keeper or how I used to call him the Monster. Before we were sent to our daily tasks for our Master, the slaves were first brought into a room, where some trough-like container stood inside. The water in there wasn´t clear, it looked more like it was from a dirty pond, but we were forced to wash us with that disgusting liquid.

We were in total 7 children, 4 boys and 3 girls. The eldest one amongst us was a 10 years old girl with brown locks and blue eyes. She always tried to help the younger ones, to calm them down when they became despaired or she shared the little bit of food she got with the ones who were nearly starved. Yes, she was a good person, but one day she took it too far and our Master wanted to get rid of her. To show us that we were his property and that he could do with us whatever he wanted, he let us all come inside of the room where the girl was chained in. She shivered, her eyes widened in panic and her look was full of fear and despair.

He let her fall down to the ground and grabbed then a iron rod from the ground. Without any hesitation he hit her with it, until she was dead. I cried on that day and couldn´t understand why such a great hearted person like her had to die. This world was just unfair, my whole life was filled with beatings, lashing and pain. Back then I was 3 years old and from that day on when she died I decided to never feel anything for anybody ever again. Her dead was tragic and hurted me, I couldn´t endure this pain of losing someone important again.

My look became colder with every day that passed by, until I felt just like an empty shell. One day, as I was brought back to my cell, the keeper forgot to chain me and also to lock the cell. I never found out why, but I saw this as my chance to escape at least the physical pain and sneeked out of the estate.

I ran out, directly through a field and then into the deep forest until my legs couldn´t carry me anymore. From that day on I lived in the woods all alone, but I didn´t mind and enjoyed the loneliness. My food were several forest fruits and I was drinking the clear water out of a headwater. All in all my live was definitely better than before, but something was still there that bothered me and that was the strange feeling inside of my chest. Since the day that girl died it was there and over the last 3 years it became stronger.

I ignored the feeling and lived inside the forest for a few months, until one rainy day I met a women. Her grey eyes had a friendly glance inside, but I just gave her an empty one and wanted to go, but she stopped me. She offered me to go home with her and that she would take care of me, but I didn´t want to be imprisoned again. I didn´t want to meet other people, I just wanted to be alone. Though I refused, she grabbed my hand and took me with her and I then met Sakuya and Ame. Due to the promise I gave myself, I didn´t want to talk with them or to have any kind of relationship with one of them.

Everything changed on that day when Sakuya told me she´d be my big sister from now on. First I rejected it, but as she then promised me to protect me until the end and I heard the determination with which she said it, I couldn´t help but crying and cuddle with her. She became everything for me and I loved her more than anything else.

Yes, after I had her I was able to live on, but now I was again imprisoned and had the same feeling as back then. I was just helpless and my leg was badly hurting. As I tried to move it, there was just a burning pain which let me lightly cry out. _Damn it where am I? Sakuya where are you?I hope those guys didn´t hurt you…_


End file.
